


Terror on La Seine

by LadyKae



Series: My Miraculous One Shots and Shorts [10]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Has a Crush on Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Needs a Hug, Adrinette | Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, BUTTERFLYCHAMPION! Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Badass Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Badass Nathalie Sancoeur | Mayura, Canon-Typical Violence, Chat Noir has all the feels and it sucks, Emotional Roller Coaster, F/M, Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth Ships It, Gabriel is trying, I done dropped a Nuke with Chapter 4, Implied Sex Trafficking, Lovesquare Reversal, Marichat | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug Has a Crush on Chat-Noir, Minor Original Character(s), Original Character History, Peacock Nathalie Sancoeur | Mayura, Post-Episode: s03 Miracle Queen (The Battle of the Miraculous Part 2), Protective Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Protective Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth, Protective Nathalie Sancoeur, Protective Plagg (Miraculous Ladybug), Still not the best parent but he is trying, Villains to Heroes, implied past kidnapping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:55:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 25,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25304875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyKae/pseuds/LadyKae
Summary: “Listen up, Hawk Moth. We don’t have time to screw around. I need you to listen and listen well,” Marinette demanded. “My name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng.  Right now, you are our only contact. So please—” Marinette’s voice softened and a few tears slipped down her cheeks. “—Help us.”Villains weren't supposed to help when there are others in need. But can Hawk Moth truly stand aside and do nothing? Especially when a young woman he knows personally is in danger?
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth & Nathalie Sancoeur
Series: My Miraculous One Shots and Shorts [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1736878
Comments: 246
Kudos: 555





	1. Adrien's Misgivings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien can't ignore the rolling in his gut that says this is a bad idea. How does he convince his headstrong friend that's the case when she's dead set on going through with it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story? This story is evil. It came to me **TEN** minutes before I had to clock in for work the other night! I cannot even begin to tell you just how distracted I was throughout my shift because of it! Now, I know you all are asking the big question, how often are the updates? This is only going to be a drabble and is 4/5ths of the way completed. New chapters are going up every three days, which will give me time to edit and finish the last chapter. So the schedule is gonna look a bit like this:
> 
> Chapter 1- Sunday 7/19 (today)  
> Chapter 2-Wednesday 7/22  
> Chapter 3- Saturday 7/25  
> Chapter 4- Tuesday 7/28  
> Chapter 5- Friday 7/31
> 
> Nonetheless, I hope you all enjoy this short!!

Fingers flew across the keyboard at lightning speed. Five pairs of eyes were glued to the screen, looking over the results of the search before it was refreshed.

“Lemme in, Alya.” 

Alya smiled as she scooted over, allowing her friend to take her spot and his fingers flew across the keyboard next as his brow furrowed. “Be skeptical all you like, Sunshine. This looks like it’s on the up and up,” she said with a grin. Her arms were loosely folded over her chest as he scowled at the screen.

Adrien cut a small glare over to her before typing something else into the search. “I still can't help but feel something's off about all of this. Father mentioned that he’s had to double security at our other European branches because of kidnappings that have happened recently. Look at this,” he said. He pressed the enter key, bringing up articles from Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany. Even as far north as Finland and Estonia. 

All eyes were glued to the screen as missing persons reports measuring in the hundreds dominated the search window. 

“Three of our newest models from Poland are among those missing, guys,” Adrien added as he looked at them. Marinette, Rose, and Juleka were recipients of an invitation to a seminar focusing on industrious and motivated young women to award them for their initiative in their communities. The five of them were crowded around Marinette’s computer in her room, researching into this supposed group. Adrien couldn’t deny all his inner alarms were blaring in warning and his inner Chat rose up to defend his princess. His “Everyday Ladybug”. 

Maybe he could ask Nathalie to take a look into this? 

“Not only that, why weren’t young women like Alya, Mylene—Hell! Even Sabrina!— invited for this? They’ve been just as proactive as you three,” Adrien finished, waving towards their bespectacled friend. 

“You forgot about Lila with all her charity work!” Rose piped up cheerfully. Adrien turned his head so they wouldn’t see him roll his eyes. He already knew Marinette was having the same reaction.

He looked back to the girls, surprised to see Marinette’s brow furrowed. More than likely, she knew he was right. “I don’t know, Adrien. Maybe there’s certain criteria that has to be met? Nonetheless, the comments and reviews for this are all exemplary. I understand your worries, and I’m glad you’re thinking about our safety, but I don’t see the harm in us going. We’ll be there together after all and if anything, there’s safety in numbers. Besides, it’s only lunch and a boat ride on the Seine,” she said as she looked between Rose and Juleka before giving Adrien what he recognized to be an encouraging smile. 

Adrien sighed as he shook his head. Thankfully, he had the rest of the week to look further into this before the luncheon Saturday. He decided to definitely ask Nathalie for her help as soon as he got home. Maybe she would find something he couldn't.

Alya seemed to sense the shifting mood in the room. “Hey Rose, Jules? Why don’t we go get a smoothie? Adrien and Marinette need to get started on their project anyways,” she offered. Rose squealed in delight as Juleka mumbled her agreement as well and the three girls walked towards the floorset door. “Have a good day, Adrien! Later, M!”

As soon as the door closed, Marinette crossed her arms and popped a hip off to the side. “What?” she asked, her tone daring him to say what was on his mind. 

“Nettie, listen, I wish I could share your enthusiasm for this. I’m not saying you’re not deserving of it— Because you absolutely are!—, just hear meowt." He tried to diffuse the situation a bit with a pun, but his princess wasn't having it, if the glare she was affixing him with was anything to go off of. Alright, Plan B, appeal to logic and emotion. "What if those are all bot posts? I’m sorry, but I seriously can all but hear alarms ringing in warning at this,” Adrien said as he stood up. There had to be a way to take the rose colored glasses of her eyes. “You are one of my dearest friends. I just don’t want to see you, any of you, get hurt.”

Marinette scowled as she looked away and she leaned back over the computer, looking over the reports of the young women that came up missing all over Europe. “Does your paranoia really justify this? Trying to talk me out of—" She waved her hands around in circles, clearly trying to come up with the right word for the occasion. It wasn't fair that she looked so adorable trying to argue her point. "—attending? Looking at those reports, they haven’t found anything linking all the disappearances, Adrien. For all we know, they all came up missing for different reasons,” Marinette argued.

“The three missing models from Poland, along with fifteen other girls, all went missing the same day Nettie. That is not coincidence. That reeks of mass kidnapping,” Adrien countered, almost savagely, as he pointed to the floor. He took a deep breath, willing himself to calm down. Fighting would get them nowhere and it put both of them at risk for akumatization. Hawk Moth hadn't sat on his laurels since the battle for the Miraculous some seven months prior and the battles only got tougher as they came. The last thing he wanted was to be an issue for Ladybug to handle on her own. No, Adrien needed to maintain a level head and keep each point clear. It was the only way to drive it home after all. The sound of clicking filled his ears as Marinette looked through the missing persons reports. He himself memorized all of them so as to keep a look out in Paris for any of the young women. A fair chunk were models he knew, some represented by his father's affiliates. It worried Adrien that someone was trying to ruin his father's business while at the same time forcing young women into—

Adrien couldn't stop the shudder that ran through him at the thought. It was even worse when he imagined Marinette in that sort of position. His expression softened as he looked at her, really, truly looked at her.

He and Kagami broke things off four months ago, as he found he was unable to get over Ladybug and Kagami picked up on it. They parted ways amicably, and the Tsurugi heiress returned to Japan with her mother a month ago to tend to an ailing family member in Hokkaido. Adrien didn’t have a lot of close female friends, in fact he could count them on one hand and still have change left over. Marinette was right behind Ladybug at top of the list, the other two being Alya and Kagami.

More than that, Adrien could sheepishly admit to himself that maybe, _just maybe_ , he had a little crush on his princess.

Alright, it wasn't that little. The model was confused as hell because his head and his heart were waging war against each other when it came to Marinette and Ladybug.

Almost three years of partnership kept their friendship strong, but Adrien could admit to himself that he could only take so much rejection. With Ladybug, there were only fanciful daydreams with a blank image where a face should be. But Marinette?

Marinette was real and in reach. Adrien didn't have to strain his imagination when he thought of the future with her. Each thought came to him easy, naturally.

After finally thinking things over, he came to realize it was folly to try to date Ladybug using only their hero identities. He was certain she was around his age, but every girl wanted to be able to talk about their boyfriend. It wouldn't be fair to Ladybug to have only a clandestine romance that she could never confide to anyone about. So he stopped flirting. He almost gave up the nicknames, but Ladybug begrudgingly asked him to not stop calling her those. She explained that it helped her feel special in a way, and that it kept them close in their friendship. She did encourage him to give his other female friends nicknames to help him understand better and to be more like Chat with them. If they didn't like it, well, at least he knew.

So he did, carefully adding in little bits of his persona over the course of several months instead of going all in. It was too drastic a change and would make everyone suspicious. The gradual change allowed him to piss Lila off and led to him delighting in flipping Marinette's "Kitty Switch" whenever he punned. Where the nicknames were concerned, Adrien came up with Wifi for Alya, thanks to her ever constant connection to the internet and Nettie for Marinette. Well, to be fair, it was Chat Noir started calling Marinette 'Nettie' first. Disastrously, he was caught on the Ladyblog doing so after whisking his princess away from the battlefield. Though, to this day, only he and Chat Noir were allowed to call her that. When he inquired as to why, Marinette told him the only reason she didn't let anyone else call her that was because they weren't being sincere in their motives for using it. Adrien, despite having 'heard' the nickname from another person, was allowed to use it because she knew and trusted him not to use it in a teasing manner, and had stuck by her where Lila was concerned. All the other boys in their class, even Nino, were slowly morphing over to the Italian's way of thinking.

Adrien scowled once more as he thought of Lila and her manipulation of the class and her low key bullying of Marinette. He could see now he was wrong to give her the advice he did, and since her expulsion, he had Marinette's back at every battle the italian tried to draw his friend into. In a sense, the silent war Lila was raging against them brought Adrien and Marinette closer than ever. Even her stutter with him was gone.

Though, strangely enough, it was acting up around Chat Noir instead. He couldn't remember her being so skittish around his alter ego before.

Even without being head over heels for Marinette, Adrien was far from blind. He was a flesh and blood young man after all, and he definitely wasn’t immune to the natural charm Marinette held. At sixteen, almost seventeen, Marinette was gorgeous. Pale porcelain skin, entrancing blue eyes, the sweetest smattering of freckles over her nose and cheeks, and luscious raven black locks that he wanted to run his hands through. Add all of that to her quirky, spunky attitude wrapped up in a five-foot-three package and she was a prime target for those with nefarious deeds in mind. There was also her Asian heritage to consider, which would paint an even bigger target on her back. 

“I’m really worried, Nettie. I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if something happened to you when I could do something, anything about it. Is it wrong that I want to keep you safe?” he whispered.

Marinette’s flush deepened at the use of the affectionate nickname, she knew he was trying to appeal to her emotionally, but her eyes flashed with ire. It was a look Adrien knew all too well, challenging his statement and his heart thudded against his rib cage even as the color drained from his face.

Oh shit.

He triggered what he dubbed the “Strong Woman” complex without meaning to!

Why the hell did she have to look so alluring even when she was pissed?!

“Adrien Michel Gabriel Emil Athaneus Agreste! I am not some damsel in need of constant protection!” she seethed, stomping over to him. 

Double shit! She used all five names! How was he supposed to get out of this alive?!

“I never said you were! You are exceedingly capable, and I know that! I just—” Adrien paused as he tried to find the right words and his arms fell limp to his sides in defeat. He couldn't tell her the real reasons without risking his identity as Chat Noir. Which sucked, because if there was anyone in this world he trust as much as Ladybug, it was Marinette. “—I’m sorry, Nettie. But I can’t ignore what I’m feeling. Let’s just agree to disagree for now? Okay?”

She huffed before nodding, pointedly looking anywhere but at him. “Fine.” Her tone suggested it was anything but and Adrien bit back his retort. 

He had the rest of the week to find proof this wasn’t a good idea.

Adrien just needed to remind himself of that.

* * *

Nathalie gave Adrien a pointed glare as he recounted his argument with Marinette to her later that afternoon. He quivered a little under that icy blue stare before it softened and Nathalie typed a few things into her browser. “While I applaud your initiative in looking out for your friend, Adrien, you could have worded that without coming across as a testosterone driven alpha,” she scolded lightly. She pushed her glasses up with a single finger before turning her attention back to the young man. “Do we need to have a brush up on your social etiquette when it comes to ladies again?”

Adrien paled at that, and he shook his head as vigorously as he could. Nathalie, despite being his father's assistant, was a very head strong woman in her own right and would not stand for Adrien talking down to any one just because of their gender. This in turn lead to a very thorough lesson when they covered sex education a few years back, but Adrien was wiser than most young men his age when it came to Aunt Flow's monthly visit and was better prepared on how to handle most the girls in his class, Marinette and Alya especially. “No ma’am, we do not. I apologized and offered a compromise that would be agreeable to both of us, just as you taught me,” he answered.

Like Marinette, Nathalie was scary as hell when she was pissed off.

He handed her his phone, bringing attention to the image on the screen. “I did take a picture of the letterhead with the invitation, if that will help your search. Please Nathalie, I can’t explain why, but this feels like a set up. There are other young women in our class that are just as accomplished as those three, but they didn’t get an invite,” Adrien said. His voice was pleading with his caretaker, his green eyes wet with worried tears gathering at the corners. 

Nathalie’s brow furrowed as she looked at the letterhead and she sent the pictures to her tablet. “Tell me all the young women in your class, and those that received invites,” she said.

“The young women in my class are Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Alya Cesaire, Rose Lavillant, Juleka Couffaine, Chloe Bourgeois, Alix Kubdel, Mylene Haprel, Sabrina Raincomprix, and Lila Rossi,” Adrien listed off without fail. “The only three to receive invites were Marinette, Rose, and Juleka.”

Nathalie was writing this information down and she nodded once she made the notations. “I’ll look into this where I can, Adrien. I’ll be sure to let you know if I find anything,” she replied.

Adrien breathed out a sigh of relief. “Thank you for your help, Nathalie,” he whispered.

Nathalie gave Adrien a rare, tender smile before she sat up straight in her seat. “You’re welcome. Go tend to your homework. You’ll be having supper with your father tonight,” she said and Adrien perked up at hearing that. He didn’t see the way her face fell as she glanced back down at her tablet as he rushed out the door.

Instead, Nathalie reached for her phone and dialed an extension. “Sir, we may have an issue. I need to go to the Poland office before the weekend. Yes sir, tonight, if it's possible.” Her fingers flew across the keyboard as she looked up something and her gaze narrowed further. “I also need to requisition employee files for our branches in Germany, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Latvia, Finland, and Denmark. Yes sir, all females that are secondary school age. Yes sir. I’ll pack my bags immediately.”

* * *

Adrien was mildly disheartened when his father told him at supper that Nathalie had to leave for the Poland branch that very evening, but he kept up hope. Three of their models from the Poland branch were missing after all. Maybe Nathalie was gathering clues?

“Nathalie told me of your worries for Marinette and your other classmates, Adrien,” Gabriel whispered from the head of the table. 

Adrien couldn’t help but flush at the unspoken question in his sire’s tone, and he picked at his supper. 

“Or is she more—”

Adrien’s whole face flushed as red as his partner’s suit as he turned to his father in a panic. “She’s just a friend!” he squawked, his voice cracking. He held his throat a bit, his rouge deepening at the sound. He hadn't done that since he started going through puberty!

A pale blond brow arched curiously at the interruption and Adrien saw the corner of his father’s mouth twitch. Whether out of amusement or ire, he wasn’t sure. His father was so damn hard to read most of the time. With a shake of his head, Gabriel muttered, “The apple certainly does not fall far from the tree.” He took a few bites of his supper before clearing his throat. “Nathalie informed me she would be back before the weekend, Adrien. The only thing I can suggest is to not bring it up in conversation if you can help it,” he added.

Adrien nodded as he took a sip of his water. “I was already considering that,” he admitted. His brow furrowed a bit as he folded in on himself. “Marinette and I already argued about the seminar. She’s as scary as Nathalie when she’s upset, so being on her bad side is detrimental to my health,” he half-joked, drawing a small snort of amusement from his father. A grin turned up the corner of his mouth for it and Adrien leaned forward to take another bite, relishing in the rare smile on his father’s face. 

Gabriel coughed to hide his amusement further and he looked up at his son. “Does this mean the normal offerings of flowers and chocolates?”

Adrien almost choked on his next bite at the unfamiliar teasing and his eyes bugged out. 

Who was this man and what did he do with the stern Gabriel Agreste?!

“Navigating the intricacies that make up the fairer sex are mind boggling to say the least, Adrien. You’re already a step ahead of your peers thanks to Nathalie’s tutelage,” commented the fashion mogul. “Though with Marinette, you’d better be _bready_ to _rise_ to the occasion.”

Adrien choked again, though this time in mirth as he was overcome by a fit of laughter. When was the last time his father made a pun?! It had to be just before his mother disappeared! He picked up his napkin, giving his father a challenging grin. 

It had been too long since they’d done this.

“I _doughnut_ know, Father. The _yeast_ I can do is let her cool down. I _croissant_ imagine making her upset again,” Adrien replied.

Gabriel chuckled before resuming his supper. “I’m sure you’ll get a _filo_ for the situation soon enough. I’m certain you won’t _macaron_ choice.”

“No! You stole my macaron pun!” Adrien groaned with an ear to ear grin. “That’s a _batter_ pill to swallow.”

“And that’s why I’m rolling in _dough_ , son. You _knead_ another decade of practice before you can _bake_ me on,” Gabriel said with a matching smile. “Though, by the way you talk about her, I can’t help but wonder if she’s stolen my son’s _tart_.”

Adrien sputtered again, and he set his utensils down. There was no way he was going to finish his supper if his father kept teasing him like this. “Looks like I’ll have to _grain_ and bear this,” he mumbled. “I can’t _fold_ a candle to you when you’re on a _roll_ .” To his surprise, his father laughed out loud at that one. “As much as I would love to keep _proofing_ off, I do need to start my portion of the research for our project. It’s a shame to see this opportunity _crumb_ and go.”

Gabriel was still chuckling as the staff collected their plates. “You’ve gotten better than I thought. You’re excused, Adrien. I have a few things I need to email to Nathalie before I retire for the evening. I’ll see you in the morning, son,” he said.

Adrien gave him a blinding grin before nodding. “Have a good evening, father.”

Maybe, _just maybe_ , this week wouldn’t be so bad after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You will have to pry the head canon that Adrien got his punny ways from Gabriel from my cold dead fingers. If you really think about it, his monologues as Hawk Moth have puns in them!
> 
> True story, I read the pun battle to my daughter and she accused me of going to my husband for help with it. Both my husband and I laughed our asses off at that. He said it's because I've been around him so long. I told him I went to google 😂


	2. Trust Your Instincts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette and the girls are sticking to their guns, despite that Marinette is starting to feel uneasy about the whole venture now. What will be the result of their stubbornness?

_Tap-tap-tap_.

Marinette's face brightened as she heard the gentle knocking and she heard her skylight creak open. "Come on in, Kitty! I'm not that busy right now!" she called up.

An excited whoop answered her and she heard a soft thump as Chat swung in, bypassing her bed entirely and he landed in a crouch behind her computer chair. He gave her a soft grin, going to one knee as he placed a hand over his heart. " _Ma princesse_ ," he said in tender greeting with a debonair bow of his golden head. He held a hand out to her and she giggled at his theatrics. 

He was so extra sometimes, but she loved him that way.

"My knight," Marinette replied, her voice soft and sweet as she laid her hand in his. Chat looked up, pressing his lips to her knuckles before raising to his full height. "What brings you by tonight?"

"What? Do I need an excuse to come see my favorite civilian?" he asked with an ear to ear grin as he took a seat on the case. He sat crosslegged atop the cushion, bringing her focus to his long, lean legs. 

_You'd never know how strong they are just looking at them,_ she thought to herself. 

"That being said, I was flagged down the other night during my patrol by a guy that says he's a friend of yours. The kid on all the billboards," Chat said with a small wave of his hand. His face softened as his green eyes took her in and Marinette felt her heart speed up. "He's worried for you and your friends, Nettie."

Marinette bit back a groan. "Adrien got to you too? Chat, there's nothing to worry about! It's just lunch with a bunch of other girls. With as hypervigilant as this city is, anyone would be stupid to set foot on what Hawk Moth has dubbed his turf. I'm pretty positive he wouldn't allow for any other evil to happen here. I'm relatively sure it would be a matter of pride for him,"

Chat held up his hands, indicating that he wasn't here to fight. "Be that as it may, I've already been looking in on the missing persons reports in case if Ladybug or I spot any of the girls here around the city, but—" He rubbed the back of his neck, meeting her eyes in nervousness. "—Please, if your going to do this, be careful and be vigilant. Adrien's not wrong to be worried. We looked a little further and we did find a connection amongst three quarters of the girls missing," he said. 

Marinette paused in her project. "What connection is that?"

"A lot of them are models that are with other branches or affiliates of the Agreste brand. Before you ask, we've already submitted a tip to Interpol about this. The Agreste's personal assistant, Nathalie Sancouer, has also been looking in on the known employees since it came to her attention. Neither Adrien nor Mr. Agreste have heard from her since she left on Tuesday," Chat said. There was a deep furrow in his brow as he looked off to the side. "I know I can't talk you or your friends out of going. I've already spoken to Miss Lavellant and Miss Couffaine, along with her brother Luka. They're just as set on going as you are. I desperately hope, for all your sakes, this is as innocuous as it appears."

Marinette sighed and she got to her feet, crossing the room over to the chaise. She pulled Chat in by his head, cradling him against her chest so he could hear her heartbeat. She scratched his scalp right behind his ears, and she smiled as she felt his purr rumble forward, soon followed by his arms wrapping around her waist to hold her tight. "If there is trouble, I know that my sweet knight won't hesitate to come to my rescue," she whispered. "On the same note, I think both of us can agree I am more than capable of handling things on my own."

Chat glanced up at her through his golden fringe. "Just because you are capable doesn't mean the odds will be in your favor. Even Plagg thinks this stinks worse than his cheese," he said, slightly muffled. He scooted back on the chaise, pulling Marinette with him and he cocooned her in his embrace once more, this time tucking her head under his chin. "I don't want to even think of what could happen if this isn't on the up and up, princess. You're special to me. The last thing I want to see is you in harm's way."

Marinette buried her face against Chat's chest, unable to bring herself to look at him. "You thank, I mean—Thank you, Kitty," she whispered, her face flushing from her stammer. Thank god it wasn't as bad with Chat as it used to be with Adrien. His chest rumbled with a chuckle before his purr picked back up.

"Careful there, Nettie. People might think you're in love with me again if they hear you stutter like that," he whispered teasingly.

The pink flush of her cheeks turned scarlet and she flicked her eyes up. Good. He was leaning back with his eyes closed and couldn't see the colors she was turning at his playful antics. 

He wasn't wrong, either, which made it harder for her to tone down her reactions around him.

It was Chat that was there for her after she and Luka broke things off. That had been three months ago, shortly after Adrien and Kagami split, and Chat had been an unwitting witness to the tearful exchange between the two. He didn't get Marinette's attention until Luka was out of ear shot, but just like the night Glaciator attacked, Chat somehow managed to pick up the broken pieces of her heart. He offered to take her home, which Marinette took him up on. The moment they landed on her balcony, he sat her down in her lounger like the gentlecat he was, and dropped into her room to get a blanket for her. Upon his return, Chat gently told her he wasn't leaving until he was sure that a butterfly wasn't coming for her and that she was welcome to vent as much as she needed to. Again, Marinette took him up on his offer and she curled up in Chat's lap sobbing her heart out to him about anything and everything. She fell asleep against the hero, but he started making a habit of coming to visit her each night. 

It was during one of those visits, shortly after one of their shared patrols where she had to beg him to keep calling her the nicknames he came up with, that Marinette realized that she was in deep. It was threatening rain, the sky above black with ominous flashes of lightning that matched her mood. She hit a low after a particularly bad afternoon with Lila, and Chat dropped in to find her fighting off angry tears. In an effort to cheer her up, he acted like an over grown kitten. He rubbed his cheeks against hers as if scent marking her, purring all the while, and making her giggle as she tried to fend him off. One of those passes grazed their lips together and Marinette froze, feeling sparks fly throughout her entire being. Thunder rumbled in the far distance as well, and Marinette cursed her heart even as it beat in a furious tempo against her chest. 

Damn her heart and damn that alley cat. 

He'd done it after all. 

He'd gotten Ladybug to fall for him.

With a long, drawn out sigh, Marinette gave Chat a tight squeeze as she snuggled deeper into his embrace. His cuddles were the best and were great for driving off any negative feelings. 

"By the way, don't bother coming over tomorrow. Rose, Juleka, and I are having a sleepover before the seminar," she said with a small sigh.

"Aww, no fair. You know I love crashing girl's night!" pouted Chat as he looked down.

Marinette giggled as his grip on her tightened. "I know, but that's why we're cuddling now. I made sure whatever I was working on would be easy to step away from so I could spend this time with you. This will have to get you through to Saturday night," she replied, grinning confidently. His arms pulled her closer and she chanced a look up. He was hiding his face against the crown of her head and she felt his chest rise as if he was breathing her in.

"I hope you're right, Nettie," whispered Chat against her hair. She felt something drop against the top if her head as he nuzzled her. His next breath was ragged as he clung to her, and her heart ached for her Chaton. Despite the brave and carefree front he was putting up, Chat was clearly fretting over this situation. Worse yet, there was nothing she could do to allay his fears but to come home safe and sound. "I really, _really_ hope you are."

Marinette was silent as she showered Chat Noir in endless amounts of affection, silently wondering if there was anything else she could do to take away the pain her kitty was in.

* * *

Marinette, Rose, and Juleka laughed and giggled as they painted each other’s nails. The seminar was tomorrow and they were really looking forward to it. Well, Marinette was mostly looking forward to it. Her mood on the whole thing was a bit sour because of the boys' paranoia. 

“Adrien has Luka convinced something’s going to happen tomorrow,” Juleka said as the conversation turned to boys.

 _Think of the devils and they shall be spoken of,_ she thought with a roll of her eyes.

Marinette scowled at that and she huffed once more. Things were strained between them over the course of the week, but they managed to stay civil while working on their project. Well, they hadn't stayed completely civil if she were honest. There was one final spat between them before she left school earlier that afternoon, one that actually left her feeling guilty in the wake of it. Marinette had the grace to admit she had been more spiteful than she normally would have been, but she was so sick of everyone trying to rain on her parade! She pulled her phone over, sending a quick text to Adrien. 

There. Olive branch extended. 

_**Needle-less To Say:** _

_**It's un-fur-tunate that we're on opposing sides on this  
topic, ** _ _**but I just wanted to remind you that  
you are a ** _ _**su-purr pawsome fur-riend and that I feel  
clawful about how I acted earlier. I hope that you  
can fur-give me.** _

**Model Behavior:**

**I'm sorry I was an ass about it too. I hope you and the  
girls are having fun tonight. Please let me know when  
you're done with the seminar. I want to talk about this  
past week.**

**By the way, oh be still my heart!  
That was a punderful and masterful execution there,  
Nettie. I think I'm in love!**

**💐💍 Mari me?**

_**Needle-less To Say:** _

_**Lol** _

_**Not if you're proposing with a pun, I won't.  
Besides, I not only have to keep up with you on  
the puns, but my dad and Chat Noir too ** _

_**As for contacting you after the seminar, I will.  
I agree we need to talk this out too. We've both been  
pretty insufferable this last week with our behavior. **_

_**Andre's?** _

**Model Behavior:**

**Ah yesssss. The legendary punny ways of Tom Dupain  
and the dashing cat-son of Paris. Look at it this way, at least  
I can help you purr-fect them before you test them out on Chat.**

**Wait, Andre's?**

**I smell peace offerings in the works. You choose the flavors this  
time, but I'm buying.**

_**Needle-less To Say:** _

_**Uggggghhhhh!** _

_**Do you always have to be so chivalrous?** _

**Model Behavior:**

**😉 Always.**

**Especially for you.**

**You may be Chat Noir's purrincess,  
but if given the chance, I'd treat you like a queen.**

Marinette didn't know how to answer to that one. Was Adrien...

Was he flirting with her via text?! That was something she was going to have to focus on later.

_**Needle-less to Say:** _

**😳😳😳😳😳**

_**We'll discuss that more in detail later as  
well. The girls and I need to get some sleep.** _

_**Good night Adrien** _

**Model Behavior:**

**Good night, Nettie. ✨🌃🌠**

Oh good gravy, how was she going to handle this?! She tucked her phone under her thigh before looking back to Juleka and Rose. “Sorry about that, I needed to take care of something. Adrien and Luka not the only ones nervous about this. Chat Noir even stopped by during his patrol to talk to me about it,” she whispered. Marinette would be lying if part of her wasn't feeling some level of nervousness about tomorrow.

“Us too,” Rose added, her voice devoid of its normal chipperness. “I know they mean well, but—”

Marinette shook her head, clearing the cobwebs from her mind, and she leaned over to lay a hand on Rose’s shoulder. “Don’t focus on the negatives, Rose. Let’s just focus on having a good time tomorrow. I’m sure the boys will apologize for being paranoid after everything is said and done,” she offered with a smile.

“If that is the case, Marinette, I’ll gladly apologize!” Luka called from the other side of the divider. “But until then, I reserve the right to remain concerned about my sister and our friends.”

“That’s fair, but don’t be a Negative Nancy about it either!” Marinette shot back. She stuck her tongue out at the screen, prompting giggles from Juleka and Rose all the while. There! Now she felt a little vindicated despite the fact that he couldn't see the action.

"What are you, five?" teased Luka. Marinette could hear the laughing smirk in his voice. "Put that tongue back before a cat gets it."

Marinette looked at the divider in shock. How the hell did he know that?! He couldn't see into this side of the room after all!

"I just know you that well, Ma-Ma-Ma-Marinette," laughed Luka as he strummed his guitar again. Juleka and Rose had upgraded from giggles to outright laughter at their banter.

She shook her head, rolling her eyes at the same time. “We should probably get some sleep so we can get ready in the morning.”

“But none of us are nowhere near tired! How about a movie first? We don’t have to be at the dock until eleven and the three of us already have our outfits picked out!” Rose offered as she bounced against her plush sleeping bag. 

“I’m down,” Juleka seconded with a thumbs up.

Marinette grinned with a nod as Juleka pulled her laptop over. “We should watch Mulan tonight!” she suggested.

“Oh! That’s a great choice Marinette! Girl power for the win!” Rose’s enthusiasm was contagious. 

The girls smiled and sang along to the songs, much to Luka’s amusement on the other side of the divider between the room. The girls even laughed when he started playing guitar riffs to “Make a Man Out of You” before they invited him over to enjoy the rest of the movie together. Once midnight came around, Luka insisted the girls get their rest.

The fact that he had an early morning shift? Pffft, coincidence at best, she mused to herself as she snuggled her Mini-Noir just a little tighter. She couldn't wait to be snuggling the real deal again tomorrow night.

When morning broke, Anarka treated the girls to a wonderful breakfast and shooed them off to get ready. She was even taking the boat down to the docs to give them more time. They chatted a little more, idly wondering if they would see any other familiar faces at this gathering, or if they’d make new friends along the way. 

* * *

Adrien was a nervous wreck as he paced around his room. Nathalie had yet to return, which didn't bode well. She was supposed to have come back yesterday and no new texts or emails came through in all that time. “I don’t like this, Plagg,” he groaned, his fingers tangling in his hair for what was probably the millionth time that day. Last night's text conversation with Marinette had been promising. He was glad they both apologized for the way they acted towards each other, but there was still the bigger issue to deal with. Had he overstepped his bounds in his paranoia? Was she just being bullheadedly stubborn about it because it, determined to prove to him no matter what that she could take care of herself?

“I don’t either, Kit,” agreed the kwami with a scowl. “Like I said the other day, this smells worse than a rotten Epoisse de Bourgogne that’s been cruelly left out in the sun.”

Adrien was ready to reply when there was a hurried knock at the door and he watched as Plagg dived into his normal hiding spot. “Come in!”

Gabriel stuck his head in, his face twisted in a scowl. “Anything from Nathalie?” he asked.

Adrien shook his head, showing that he had no new notifications as well. “I’m getting worried,” he whispered. He could tell by the look on his father’s face that while he wouldn’t admit it aloud, he was too. 

“I’m going to my atelier for the next few hours. I’m going to see if there’s been any word on where the jet is, and if Nathalie was just held up gathering her information. What time is this luncheon supposed to start?”

“Eleven thirty after a brief seminar and to be concluded with an awards ceremony. The boat will be leaving the docks at that time,” Adrien replied as he double checked the picture he took for Nathalie to use as reference.

Try as he might, he could not shake the feeling that things were going to get so much worse. Time was running out and it left his heart feeling heavier than a black hole. Adrien scowled as he pocketed his phone. “I’m going to go find the girls. I know they had a sleepover last night, just not whose house it was. I doubt any of them are going to answer their phones any time soon if they see my name pop up for that matter.”

Gabriel sighed as he laid a hand on his son’s shoulder. “Approach this with as much decorum as possible. Marinette’s is the closest. I’d start there and talk to her parents. I’m sure they’d be willing to tell you where she is.”

Adrien gave his father a half-hearted grin as he patted the older Agreste’s hand. “Thank you. I’ll call you as soon as I know anything,” he said.

Gabriel nodded as he moved out of the way. “I’ll do the same. Good luck.”

* * *

Marinette spun in a circle as they entered the largest room on the cruise vessel, her smile ear to ear at the extravagance of it all. Juleka was wide eyed at the opulence while Rose was bouncing on the heels of her feet, squealing in her excitement. Even Tikki was vibrating with energy, the little kwami’s eyes open wide with awe from her purse.

Yet, there was a nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach at the same time. 

Their cellphones were collected and tagged with their names with the promise that it was only for the time being at the door, as well as them getting their name tags. The excuse given was that they didn’t want to chance any interruptions during the seminar, nor any flash photography. They would be given any photos from the award ceremony to show off to their parents.

If there really was an awards cere—

No!

Marinette was not going to focus on Adrien’s misgivings about this!

She was here to enjoy herself and support other young women that worked to make a difference!

“Awesome,” Juleka whispered as they looked for their seats. 

Rose pointed at the table to her left, seeing a seat placard with her name on it. “There we are!” she chirped.

Marinette smiled as they took their seats, recognizing few faces from their school in the room, and introducing themselves to the other young woman at their table.

“My name is Elaina Desmarais!” gushed a bubbly brunette with blue grey eyes. Her round face was flush in her excitement as a silver violin charm glittered at her neck. “I attend IMEP and play as the first chair for the orchestra there. Where do you go to school?”

“All three of us attend Francois Dupont,” said Rose. “Why do you think you got your letter?”

“I think I was nominated by the staff. I tutor young children in my spare time with the violin and play at children’s hospital’s as well,” Elaina replied as she bounced in her chair.

Marinette tuned out of the conversation as she looked around the room, scouting out a good spot to transform just in case. It never hurt to be prepared after all. Nervousness gnawed at her as she saw sentries at any possible exits. That was odd for something like this.

Unless they were part of the ship’s crew and waiting for everyone to be seated before getting drinks and the like passed out.

She took a deep cleansing breath as Rose addressed her, telling Elaina about the long list of accomplishments Marinette held.

“Wait! You’re _the_ Marinette Dupain-Cheng. The rockin' young lady that designed the cover of Rock Giant?! Oh my gosh! Can I ask you to autograph my copy when we get out of here?” The smile on Elaina’s face was wide and bright and Marinette felt herself relaxing again. 

“I’d be honored to, Elaina. Thank you!” Marinette leaned forward on the table, curious about this new girl. “What do your parents do?”

“My mother is an apothecary’s assistant and my father is a businessman. They work hard to pay for my tuition and I’m not going to let them down. My musical theory professor says I have wonderful talent for someone my age. OH! And I've actually got the chance to meet Hillary Hahn this summer! She’s my idol! Well—” Elaina paused, covering her mouth as she giggled. “—besides Lindsey Stirling that is.”

“Did you have the chance to see the Trouble Notes when they were busking here in Paris last year?” Juleka asked, her brown eyes wide with excitement.

“You bet I did! Do you remember that video that went viral with Bennet, their violinist? The one with him and a young girl dueling with their strings?” Juleka nodded emphatically before hers and Rose’s jaws dropped. 

“That was you! I thought that charm was familiar!” Rose exclaimed as she clapped her hands together in her glee. “That must have been so exciting!”

Elaina simpered as she slumped against the table. “Bennet was amazing. He was so complimentary about my playing and he even signed my violin case! He also gave me some wonderful advice that I’ve utilized with every audition and it hasn’t failed me yet,” Elaina said with a grin Marinette knew all too well.

Before they could exchange any more stories, the lights dimmed and a tall woman with her blond hair in a pixie cut strode across the stage.

“Good afternoon, my lovelies,” she cooed, speaking in fluent French with a Russian lilt, and she beamed at the room. “My name is Inya Obman, and I am here to talk to you ladies about how important you are,” she began.

Marinette’s foot bounced as she listened, though she wished she had her phone so she could text Adrien that they were fine. Inya was charismatic enough, though, but there was something about the look on her face and the tone of her voice that made her skin crawl. There was something about the syrupy manner her words flowed that put the designer on edge. When Inya looked in the direction of their table, the feeling hit full force and Marinette realized why it was familiar.

It was the way Lila Rossi looked at her before stringing the class along with some far fetched tale.

Marinette’s eyes darted around the room again. The sentries at the doors had yet to move from their positions. She did a quick head count, counting sixteen all together. Every single one of them was massive and made of nothing but muscle.

The boat lurched as the lights came back up and Marinette looked out the windows. 

This wasn’t good. They were moving well before lunch was being served. Her internal clock told her it was barely twenty past the hour.

“Lastly, my lovelies, I would love to thank you all for joining us. We are so excited to have you. Each of you are going on to great things from here,” Inya gushed as she leaned over the podium. To Marinette, she more resembled a wolf staring at a flock of sheep, trying to pick a target to hunt. “There will be a five minute recess and then lunch will be served.”

As all the girls started chatting among themselves again, Marinette watched as the sentries all filed towards the only open entrance. The moment the doors were closed, she jumped to her feet. She ignored the questioning stares from Rose and Juleka as she grabbed an empty chair, running as fast as she could for the closest window. She spun in place a few times to gather up momentum, hurling the chair with as much strength she possessed in her slender frame.

It was then that large iron shutters slammed down, and the chair hit it, breaking on impact. 

Marinette’s face paled and tears filled her eyes. If only she had been a few seconds faster. She felt Tikki patting her thigh from her purse and Marinette looked down to her, stricken.

Why?! Why didn’t she listen to Adrien, Luka, or Chat?!

If they got out of this mess, she owed all three of them the biggest apologies possible.

Screams erupted throughout the room, the realization that they were trapped falling hard on the thirty or so young women. Marinette ran across the room, hoping to beat the group before they mobbed the doors, but it wasn’t meant to be. She was jostled between bodies, and she saw stars before crumpling to the floor as an elbow collided with her ear. 

A shrill whistle caught everyone’s attention and Marinette felt two pairs of hands pulling her up. Rose and Juleka somehow found her in the throng, but they looked like they were trying to clear space for her as opposed to beat on the entryway.

“Would you all kindly calm your asses down and resume your seats?!” Elaina bellowed across the room. Tears were streaking her cheeks, but she stood tall while standing on top of their table. “Marinette, are you okay?”

The designer nodded as she winced, touching her tender head for a second. “I’ll be fine, Elaina. Thank you,” she called back.

“Marinette! One of your earrings is missing!” Rose wailed and Marinette's hands flew to her ears. 

Oh god, the left half of her miraculous was somewhere here in the room! She was just about to ask Rose and Juleka for their help in finding it when the overhead speakers squeaked.

“Hello again, my lovelies.” The sneer in Inya's voice was hard to miss and Marinette scowled at the ceiling. “I forgot to warn you of something. You see, when you stepped foot on this boat, you signed yourselves up for a lifetime of work. Did you all actually believe each and every single one of you was special in your own right?” A cackle filled the room, sending shivers down everyone’s spines. “None of you are remarkable, and that’s why you were chosen. Plain parents, foster children, wards of the state...Those are the kinds of girls that society and the police give up on when the trail goes cold. I hope you ladies are ready, because it’s going to be hell from here on out.”

The room went quiet again and Elaina sank to her knees at their table. Marinette didn’t hesitate, however, as she guided the young woman down to her friends before assuming the spot in view. “Listen up, girls! Don’t listen to that sleaze bag! We are remarkable and we’re going to put up a stand while we can! Athletes, gather over here on my left! If there’s anyone that plays chess, I need you up here! Everyone else, go to the furthest corner over there! We don’t know how long they’re going to leave us alone, so let’s make this snappy!” Marinette ordered. There was a flurry of movement as everyone started doing as they were told and three young women walked up to the table while about fifteen girls lined up to the left. The rest of the girls started walking for the corner Marinette indicated and she jumped down. 

“We need to form barricades. We’re going to use the tables and the chairs. You three figure out the best layout for that. You girls are the muscle. I’m going to keep watch at the door and I’ll warn everyone when I hear someone coming, alright?” There were nods all around, but another scream echoed through the room. From the air vent above them, a purple butterfly was squeezing in. “What are you waiting for?! Get moving!” Marinette barked. She looked down at Tikki, her face grim with purpose. “Tikki…”

“Do what you have to Marinette. This may be our only chance! We can find the earring later!” Tikki encouraged with a nod. In the next second, she phased out of the purse to go hide elsewhere.

These foreigners made the mistake of trying to pull this sort of crap in this particular city. It was a given that Hawk Moth would send out a butterfly to a place with such a concentrated amount of despair. She formed her plan as the butterfly made a beeline for Elaina and she vaulted off a table to grab it. Marinette shoved it into her purse, and she closed her eyes, waiting for the connection to come up. The minute she felt his mind merge with hers, her eyes snapped open once again. “Listen up, Hawk Moth. We don’t have time to screw around. I need you to listen and listen well,” Marinette demanded.

 _Who is this? What is going on?_ asked the villain.

“My name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng. As for what’s going on, myself and a group of about thirty young women from around the city have just been abducted. We're trapped and locked in a room on a small cruise vessel that’s headed northbound on the Seine. Given their behavior and their target age range, they might be into human trafficking. As it stands right now, you are our only contact to the outside.”

There was silence between them, though Marinette knew the connection wasn’t broken. The purple mask was still over her face and she looked towards the scared faces of the young women huddled against the wall.

“We’re going to protect ourselves the best we can. I counted sixteen muscle bound guards around the room earlier, but even with our numbers, we don’t stand much of a chance if they attack en masse. These girls are innocent young women with dreams and aspirations here in Paris. We stand to be robbed of that if they get us out of the city limits. They can only move at cruising speeds right now, but we’re sure to reach Port de Saint-Cloud in the next two hours. So please—” Marinette’s voice softened and a few tears slipped down her cheeks. “—Help us.”


	3. Champion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hawk Moth teeters on the edge. Nathalie returns and together they embark to stop the ship. Chat Noir stops them, only to offer a solution for all parties involved. Marinette makes a choice that sets things in motion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Saturday everyone! Here's the next chapter for Terror on La Seine! I think you're really going to like this one!

_“ So please—” Marinette’s voice softened and a few tears slipped down her cheeks. “—Help us.”_

Looking through her eyes, staring at the young women huddled together on the floor as movement happened behind Marientte, was a punch to his conscience that he was not expecting. It was odd to be at a crossroads such as this. To have his heart prodded in this manner was unfamiliar, but he reasoned it was because he knew this girl as well as he did. Adrien was sweet on her after all, and she caught Hawk Moth’s own attention for her brilliant designs. Was that reason enough for him to act though? He was the villain.

Villains didn’t save the day.

 _This is a different set of circumstances and you know it, Agreste,_ he growled mentally at himself.

These rogues, these no good charlatans, came into _his_ city to do their evil. Sure, he’d akumatized a toddler, but he’d never kidnap a young woman with the intent to whore her out to the highest bidder.

The embers of his rage crackled as his thoughts fanned them, forcing the flame of indignation to grow.

Who did these bastards think they were?! 

Hawk Moth took a deep, centering breath in, clearing the emotions before they could bleed over the connection. This was a job for Ladybug and Chat Noir to handle. They were the heroes after all. 

“Can any of you get word out through the Ladyblog that you need help?” he asked Marinette.

 _No_ , she whimpered. _All of our phones were taken before we entered this room. I wasn’t kidding when I said you are our only contact to the outside. I don’t know if anyone else will make it as fast as you can_.

His conscience wrestled with him once again. These girls were all someone’s daughter, someone’s sister. At least as akumas, they weren’t in any real danger of being taken from their families. Sure, they might get roughed up a little while fighting those two pests, but the Miraculous Cure fixed everything in the end. His heart sank as he thought of how Adrien would feel if the ship was allowed to make it out of city limits. He’d been suspicious of this from the get go and he hadn’t been able to talk the girls out of going, despite his efforts to drum up support from others. Adrien would never forgive himself for not doing more. In the end, so would he, because he had the means to find them.

Hawk Moth’s communicator dinged with a message from Nathalie. She was already here? There was nothing else attached to the message.

Did that mean that they were too late?

 _Hawk Moth?_ her voice sounded frail and frightened, but resonated with hope. 

“One second, Ms. Dupain-Cheng,” he whispered consolingly. Hawk Moth turned around as the elevator hummed before coming to a stop, only to feel anger grip him to the point Marinette felt it on the other side of the connection. “What happened?” he hissed, crossing the room to assess his assistant's injuries.

Nathalie’s lip was split and the skin around one eye blackened and shiny with a fresh bruise. She was holding her ribs, but there was a determined scowl on her face. “Ambushed in Copenhagen. I’m getting Dusuu and I’m going after the girls. This group is out of Russia and they’ve taken not just three from Prague, but more than eighty across Europe, the most coming from Copenhagen three days ago under the guise of being one of our affiliates,” Nathalie seethed. He knew she was referring to the models hired by the other branches of his company and he cursed under his breath. Were they making a point to hit his company?!

Hawk Moth considered the girls he knew of that were being absconded. All three of them had ties to Adrien through class. One actually modeled with his son, quite well if he were honest, and the other was her girlfriend. Marinette though, Marinette was the big key in all of this. 

He endorsed her, as did several other big names. If this was an attack on his company, Marinette was a prime target because of her talent.

The longer he looked at Nathalie, the more he could see how little put together she truly was. The lenses of her glasses were cracked, the sleeve of her suit torn, and her manicure was ruined. Her heels had been a casualty as well. They were missing all together and her hose had runs from going barefoot all over the place.

“What do you mean ambushed in Copenhagen?!” Hawk Moth snarled.

Nathalie walked over to the pedestal that held the peacock brooch and she pinned it into place. “Exactly as it sounds. They realized I was digging up information and they tried to kill me for it. Dusuu! Fan my feathers!” she barked out.

A pissed off Nathalie was a terrifying Nathalie indeed, he surmised as Mayura cracked her neck, then her knuckles.

“I’m going for them, with or without you. I’m sure I could find the ship without you, but you’re connected. You can track them better than I,” Mayura said as she inspected her fan. She wouldn’t need a sentimonster to wreak havoc on these fools.

“We’ll go together,” Hawk Moth agreed after a moment. She was right that they would find them faster because of the butterfly he sent that way. He strengthened the connection for a moment, getting Marinette’s attention again. “You’d better pray that Ladybug and Chat Noir don’t attack us. Mayura and I are on our way.”

Relief flooded him from the other side of the connection and Hawk Moth was startled at the purity of it. Surely she couldn’t be that happy that the man who terrorized the city was coming for her and her friends.

Could she?

 _Thank you! Will—_ She paused, and Hawk Moth felt her unease. Looking through her eyes, she was running full force for the door. _Keep the connection open if you can! Hurry!_

With those words, Hawk Moth found himself leaping from the window and out onto the Parisian rooftops. “What was the last major landmark you remember?” he asked.

 _The Louvre! We should be coming up on the Pont de la Concorde in about five minutes! They already lost ten minutes waiting for the Pont du Carrousel to raise,_ Marinette replied hastily. He could feel her worry, see the floor in front of her shaking. Was she trying to barricade the door?!

“What do you think you’re doing?!” he bellowed.

 _I have to buy the girls more time to set up the tables! I’ve got three others with me holding the doors and we have two belts holding the handles together! We’re going to scatter back the minute everything is ready!_ Marinette groaned. He could almost feel her digging her heels into the floor for traction.

“We’re coming up on the twenty first arrondissement now,” he assured her. Hawk Moth wasn't sure if it was her heart or his that he could feel thundering.

_HURRY!_

“STOP RIGHT THERE!” Hawk Moth skidded to a stop with Mayura right behind him as Chat Noir’s baton smashed into the rooftop right in front of him. “Chat Noir. We don’t have—” He jumped back, dodging another swing from the pissed off hero and he blocked another strike with his cane. 

_Chat’s there?! Can you put me through to him somehow?!_ Marinette begged.

“I can try, but he’s not in the mood to talk,” Hawk Moth grumbled. “Chat Noir, stand down and listen! Every minute we waste here is a minute closer to losing a handful of innocent young women. If just this once, let me pass.”

Chat looked at him skeptically as he held his baton at the ready and he backed up two steps. He was clearly torn on what to do, but after a moment he shrank it down and put it away. “Who did you akumatize? I see the mask over your face, meaning you’re in contact with the possessed person,” he growled out.

“I’m in contact with Marinette Dupain-Cheng, and she’s not akumatized. The butterfly is serving as a beacon and contact device,” he explained. “She wants to speak with you. I can act as a medium, but it requires contact.”

“If you’re really in touch with Marinette, prove it,” Chat snarled, lifting his right hand as if to activate his Cataclysm. 

_Tell that mangy alley chat that if he doesn’t talk to me, then he’ll never taste another of my chocolate croissants ever again,_ Marinette grunted in reply.

“Kitty’s got a sweet tooth I see,” chortled the villain with a shake of his head. “Her exact words were to tell that mangy alley chat that if he doesn’t talk, he’ll never taste—”

Chat’s hand dropped as he closed the distance, his gaze filled to the brim with worry for the girl. Hawk Moth could feel the terror rolling off him in waves. “You had me at alley _chat_. She was threatening me with her chocolate croissants again,” he finished with a sheepish grin. He looked up at Hawk Moth with a distrusting glare before grasping the man’s forearm. “How private will the discussion be?”

“I will respect your privacy. If Miss Dupain-Cheng wishes to fill me in, she can,” he offered as he closed his eyes. Hawk Moth drew Chat Noir's consciousness into the connection, his brow furrowing in concentration.

“Alright then,” Chat said. He closed his eyes as he took a deep breath, and everything went still between the three of them. 

* * *

"Marinette?" Chat asked. Without warning, a slew of emotions apart from his own slammed into him and he flinched at the intensity of them. 

_I'm here, kitty! Listen, this is going to be a lot to unpack, but you need to listen to me and do as I say,_ said the raven haired girl. He could feel her struggling to keep her fear at bay, the anger that was roiling below it. _Mon minou, it's me. I'm Ladybug, and Tikki can't transform me because I lost one of my earrings when everyone panicked. Please don't say anything out loud, I can already feel you preparing to react. I need you to keep this quiet for now!_

"Of course," Chat said tightly. 

He'd been so fucking blind all this time. 

"What's the plan?" he asked after a moment.

_We need Hawk Moth and Mayura for this. Draw them into a Miraculous Parlay. Remember when we found that in the grimoires Master Fu left us? Make sure you word it specifically that they help to rescue all the girls missing over Europe, not just us here._

"You want me to what?!" Chat squawked, blindsided by the request.

 _It's the only way we're going to get out of this. Not only that, but it might change them in the process. I could feel how torn Hawk Moth was at first when I asked him to help us. It's a gamble, but I'm willing to take it! We may be able to come out of this with some sort of agreement in the long run!_ Marinette said with a grunt. _I can feel you're out of sorts about this. I am too, but desperate times call for desperate measures, mon Chaton. Please, go with the plan. We'll figure more out as we go, okay?_

Chat released a small huff of air before he smiled. Even now, his lady was planning twelve deep. "Got it. We'll see you soon, _ma princesse_ ," he said before releasing his grip. _My Lady is Marinette. It's her, it's always been her,_ he thought. 

He thought he couldn't love her more than he did. How wrong he was. Knowing they were one and the same banished the doubts, swept away the fear of hurting either of them. They were one whole, wonderful girl that he could give his heart to without reservation. He looked up, his cheeks burning at the amused looks on the adults' faces.

* * *

Hawk Moth focused on putting up a muting block against himself to allow the teens privacy to talk. It didn’t stop Chat's or Marinette’s emotions from bleeding over, however.

This...This was the same damn emotion he felt from Adrien the other night during dinner. How could the Fates do this to him?! Fighting his own son?!

Hawk Moth spiraled in the wake of the realization, but he managed to keep everything tethered, albeit weakly. 

What was next? Marinette Dupain-Cheng was Ladybug?

“You want me to what?!” Chat squawked and Hawk Moth bit back another groan. 

That was definitely his son in that ridiculous cat get-up. A myriad of emotions seemed to pass over Chat Noir's face the longer the conversation held and Hawk Moth wondered what was being said on the other side of the block he put up. 

“Got it. We’ll see you soon, _ma princesse_ ,” Chat said aloud before releasing Hawk Moth’s arm. His face turned an impressive shade of scarlet from under the mask as he took in the amused look on the adults’ faces. “I’m invoking the Miraculous Parlay.”

Hawk Moth nodded in realization. He remembered reading about this in a small part of the grimoire the guardian decoded on his tablet. “I see. A temporary alliance?” he asked.

“Exactly. Until **_all_** the young women have been saved. If we’re all in agreement, we need to get moving. They're running out of time over there. I'll state the terms and you two only need to agree to them. If we can rendezvous with Ladybug, we'll get her to agree as well,” said the young man. Hawk Moth was surprised to see the stern countenance on his son's face as he stared in the direction of the Palais Bourbon before those green eyes turned back to he and Mayura. “I, Chat Noir, wielder of the Black Cat, agree to hold the parlay to rescue all the young women absconded and it’s terms.”

“I, Hawk Moth, wielder of the Butterfly, agree to the aforementioned parlay and it’s terms.”

“I, Mayura, wielder of the Peacock, agree to the parlay and it’s terms.”

Magic swirled around the three of them, and Mayura looked at the two men. “What just happened?” she asked as they jumped towards the next roof.

“The Miraculous Parlay is a magical binding agreement in the rare case that miraculous holders like ourselves are ever pitted against each other. It allows for a temporary truce, but it can be prematurely severed if we raise our weapons at each other with the intent to attack,” Chat explained before he vaulted over a chimney. Hawk Moth bit back another groan of dismay at realizing it was his son doing all of this.

Goodness, it was no wonder that Adrien’s dietitian was going crazy! He was burning more calories than he took in because he was masquerading all over Paris as a hero! Begrudgingly, he made a mental note to allow the dietitian to make the now absolutely, completely necessary adjustments to Adrien’s caloric intake without fuss from here on.

“ _Ma Princesse_?” Mayura asked the young man with a knowing grin. Hawk Moth couldn't help but grin as well. He'd get her into the loop in short order, but he was amazed she held out as long as she did.

Chat turned the same shade of red again and he opened his mouth to offer a rebuttal.

“I swear by my miraculous, I will break this parlay to beat some sense into you with my cane if the words “She’s just a friend” fall from your lips, boy,” he groaned. Oh no. Once this week was enough. Hawk Moth intended to have a very long talk with Adrien about this once all three of them were home. _As much as I hate the idea, we may have to have **that** talk as well_, he realized with another internalized groan. “While I didn’t hear your conversation, I could feel your emotions clear as day. Both of you are more than sweet on each other, so don’t even deny it.”

The blush grew more intense at being told how his emotions came across, but to his credit, the young man stayed silent. Though Hawk Moth couldn’t help but wonder if he was imagining the pleased grin at hearing Marinette felt the same for Chat Noir. They cleared another building and green eyes squinted towards the water. “Look! Is that them coming to an idle at the Ponts de la Concorde?!” Chat exclaimed as he pointed towards a modest looking boat.

Hawk Moth zeroed in on his butterfly, sensing it aboard the vessel. “It is. Why are they slowing down?” he asked. “Miss Du—”

* * *

“For the love of God! Just call me Marinette! I swear, you are just as stiff and formal as Gabriel Agreste!” snarled the designer. “Yes, we are slowing down. No, I don't know why! Quite frankly, I’m a little busy at the moment!” 

_What do you mean busy?!_ Hawk Moth demanded. 

Marinette rolled out of the way of a meaty fist, not caring if her clothing ripped in the process. She could fix it later, damn it! She allowed the connection to open deeper, giving Hawk Moth a front seat view of what she was looking at. "Don't you dare step closer!" Marinette seethed as she dropped into a crouch, her fists raised and ready. 

Missing earring or not, she was still Ladybug and these asshats weren't laying a hand on these girls if she could help it.

 _Marinette, please don't engage! We're almost to your location!_ Hawk Moth's voice in her mind was concerned, but she didn't back down.

"I don't have a choice. Someone has to!" she retorted. She could see the light purple glow of the mask in front of her face, and she panned her view from left to right. More than a dozen men were prepared to take the group below deck for...

She couldn't bring herself to finish that thought. She could feel he got the gist of it from her worry though.

 _I see. There is no time, then. Accept the power the butterfly offers. You'll have the advantage in that case,_ he said. Hawk Moth sensed her hesitance on being possessed by him, and she felt a wave of comfort wash over her. _You won't be an akuma. The evil energy infused has already been purified by your earnest desire to protect. All that's left is the power, the natural power, the butterfly can offer you. I can still see through your eyes, and remain in contact. Will you become my champion, Marinette Dupain-Cheng? Will you defend those that cannot do so for themselves?_

The weight his words held felt vastly different than the last time he tried to possess her. This must be the true contract between the wielder of the Butterfly Miraculous and their chosen champion. "I will be your champion," she replied, standing tall.

 _T_ _hen rise, Princess Justice, and let all that pose danger to you quake in terror at your fury._

A blinding flash of lavender colored light covered her, morphing and molding around the young woman and forcing all around her to cover their eyes. Once it faded away, Marinette's sky blue stare narrowed on the men before her. She was dressed in a rose pink tunic and lilac colored breeches, and plate armor gleamed silver against the fluorescent lights. She could feel a diadem resting against her brow and the tinkling of a bell rang in her ear. In her hand was a blade, a rapier to be exact, and she silently thanked Adrien for all the lessons he gave her up to this point. They were about to come in handy after all. She rose her rapier, leveling it with the floor.

She felt powerful, confident.

She was Marinette, arbiter of Justice.

"Step closer, if you dare."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_Dun dun DUNNNNNN!_**
> 
> Please don't kill me for another cliffhanger 😅


	4. Ups and Downs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uneasy allies put aside their differences to help those in need. Just as the rescue seems like it's wrapping up, things come to light that should have never resurfaced.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo....
> 
> I don't know if you all read each other's comments or not, but Steelblaidd asked if this short was going to be like a roller coaster, taking you all high before dropping ya'll in the soup.
> 
> I can tell you know that Chapters 1-3? That was you all waiting in line for your turns to go on the ride. 
> 
> Chapter 4 is the fucking roller coaster and ya'll are either going to kill me at the end of it or you're going to go "Holy SHIT!" and scroll back to the top to reread it. 
> 
> Otherwise, I hope you all enjoy this one!

Mayura could tell by the look on Chat Noir’s face that he was uneasy about Marinette accepting the power Hawkmoth offered her. The explanation that she would not be an akuma did little to settle his nerves. “The choice is hers and hers alone, Chat Noir. Just be glad she has the means to protect herself and the others with her,” she said sagely. They landed on the roof of the Palais Bourbon and she pointed towards the sidewalk on the bridge. “We need to clear a path, but that point there would be the best to reach the boat from.”

Chat pulled his baton and dialed a number. “Ladyblogger? It’s Chat Noir. I need you to put out an akuma alert, along with a evac notice at the Ponts de la Concorde. Thanks, Chat out!” he said. “Give it thirty seconds for the akuma alert to go up, but that should clear some space.” His face was still grim as he looked at the boat. 

“You tried to talk her out of it. Sometimes that’s the most you can do,” Hawk Moth said sagely, his hands folded over the top of his cane in a regal manner. Mayura cast her boss a furtive glance. While they were temporarily allied, he was being quite considerate of the young man and his emotions. 

Chat shook his head ruefully before looking back at the two adults. “How’s she doing in there?”

“Holding the line well. I’m assisting where I can in her reaction time, but most of it is her doing and you’ll be impressed with her strategizing. She wants us to come in from the starboard where the iron shutters are. You’ll cataclysm them and then the two of you will work on evacuating the girls while Mayura and I tend to the others,” Hawk Moth said as his blue eyes narrowed further on the boat. “We need to move and soon. More of those cretins keep pouring into the room. Even with the power she has, Princess Justice can only last so long against such an onslaught.”

Mayura’s eyes narrowed at that statement and she flicked her fan open and shut a few times in her restlessness. The moment the sound of thousands of phones beeping in unison, along with a siren from the Palais Bourbon, sent the civilians scattering for safety, Mayura used the distraction to rush ahead. She didn’t heed the warnings from Chat Noir or Hawk Moth, her mind set to one goal.

She was going to get these bastards back for their crimes in Copenhagen. She had been only minutes late to help the girls there, had put it together too late. Mayura would not allow them to get these girls out of Paris while she still drew breath. She ran along the railing, her magenta eyes glowing with purpose and she jumped for the boat, her dress fanning out behind her like a peacock’s tail on display. She landed gracefully on the port bow, and Chat landed behind her within seconds.

“I was trying to tell you to wait up!” he hissed. “We don’t know how many are on the ship in total.”

“It won’t matter. As far as I’m concerned, these inconsiderate ingrates are going down,” Mayura growled out as she clenched her fan tighter. “We’ll clear the room Marinette is in first. Come along.” She was silent as her fleet feet barely touched the deck. She raced ahead of Chat Noir at the sight of men raising guns to them and she grabbed a pole, swinging around and planting her heeled feet in the face closest to her. Mayura took macabre delight in the crunch and crumble of bone and cartilage before landing in another crouch, her magenta gaze unnerving as it fell on the other of their assailants. The first man crumpled to the floor, unconscious and Mayura gave the other a savage grin of victory as her fists flew faster than he could follow. Her quarry unconscious, Mayura cast a small smirk that dared Chat to do better. 

Two more came from around the corner and the peafowl gave a wave towards them as if telling the young man to go ahead and he gave her a gracious bow of thanks in return. With a feral grin of his own, Chat Noir leapt forward, pouncing on the first of the attackers, sending the other man face first into the deck. Just as fast, he extended a leg behind him, scoring a direct hit on the chin that knocked his opponent out and sent the man withering to the ground.

“Sweet chin music,” purred Chat Noir dangerously as he rose back to his full height. His ears twitched at hearing noise and Mayura’s brow rose in curiosity. What was he hearing? “We need to move, now!” He took off on all fours, speeding down the starboard alley and he jumped onto the railing with Mayura close behind. Together they made quick work of scaling the side of the boat, coming to a stop on the third level.

Before them, a long row of windows covered by metal shutters from the inside stretched out from stem to stern. Mayura flicked her fan open and closed, throwing feather upon feather to break the glass panes one after the other. Shattered glass crunched under her heels as she leaned in close, looking for the best shutter to take out, the one that would put them closest to the hostages and Princess Justice. 

“Back up so you don’t breath in the dust,” Chat Noir warned her as he stepped forward, his right hand raised and ready. “CATACLYSM!” The young man ran down the row, raking his claws against the metal exposed to him and they both watched in anticipation as the shutters all disintegrated.

Mayura gave a half-hearted scoff as she looked down at Chat Noir, a small smirk on her face. “I can’t deny that comes in handy when you need it,” she admitted.

Chat snorted a little in mirth before he sneezed from his proximity to her fan. “Sorry, allergies,” he groused, before offering Mayura a wan grin as well. “I’m sure the same could be said about your amoks. At the right time and place of cou—” He went silent almost instantly, though Mayura knew rage was starting to cycle through his system.

It was having the same effect on her as she watched Princess Justice struggle to prise the hand off her throat as it pinned her to the wall. More than a dozen men littered the floor in varying ranges of consciousness, but this one looked as if he got the drop on the young woman.

Mayura’s blood ignited with the fury of a thousand supernovas at the scene. It was too close to what she just went through, too close to someone she could admit she cared about. Marinette was a sweet girl, and had never taken Mayura to task for stealing the scarf she made Adrien. This was her chance to offer some measure of kindness back to the girl. It was the reason she dropped everything to help Adrien to begin with.

It wasn’t clear which of the two of them moved first, but both were jumping into the room with a roar. Mayura went for the men that pulled themselves to their feet and were now encroaching on the other girls cowering behind a barricade of tables. Meanwhile, Chat rushed the man who had his princess pinned.

Mayura still needed to ask him how that came about.

A scream of righteous anger rang through the room and Princess Justice sent a gleaming steel boot into the groin of her assailant, forcing Chat to skid to a stop in shock. Mayura paused in her own movements to watch it play out. None of the other hired hands were making moves either, whether from shock or fear was yet to be determined. 

“You bastard!” Princess Justice dropped to a crouch, rubbing idly at her throat while glaring at the staggering man. Just as quick, she was back on her feet, her fists clenched in rage. “I told you once already, I will not let you harm them!” she bellowed, her body spinning and her leg flying up in a round house. Her heel crashed against his temple, sending the man flying towards the now open windows. She stomped with her right foot, and her rapier bounced up and back into her hand. The swish of the blade as it sliced through the air seemed to echo through the room, pointing to the crowd of men as they stared at her in shock “Who’s next?!”

* * *

Chat couldn’t help but swallow thickly at the sight Marinette made before him. She was beautiful before, but now? She stole the very breath from his lungs with her magnificence. The outfit she wore was one hundred percent her, though he could see nods to himself in it. The black belt looped twice over her hips, the small golden bell hanging from her ear. 

Most importantly, the domino mask over her face looked exactly like his own. 

He was such a goner for this girl and she didn’t even know it. 

His princess brandished her blade, taking up a defensive stance in front of the overturned tables. “Change of plans, Chat,” she said, keeping her blue eyes leveled on the brutes. “Start getting the girls out of here. Mayura and I will hold the line here. 

Mayura cracked her neck as she came to stand beside the young woman, their gazes intense as they settled on the would-be kidnappers scattered across the room. “Surely you’re not going to let a girl get the better of you,” she taunted as she fanned herself coitishly.

Chat Noir looked between the two women, and he felt a wave of intimidation sweep over him at the fierce looks on their faces. There was no way in hell that he was getting in their way. 

He wanted to live after all.

Still, his Lady and Mayura teaming up? Chat had a feeling this was going to be epic to see first hand.

* * *

Mayura watched the dozen or so men as they ambled together, whispering in hushed tones as they tried to formulate a plan of attack. “Princess Justice?” she asked.

“Ready when you are, Mayura,” came the reply. 

“HEY! GET AWAY FROM THOSE TABLES!” bellowed one brute as he pointed near the corner the other girls were still huddled in.

Chat Noir crouched, pulling his baton from his back as he prepared himself for an onslaught. 

“Hold the line there, Kitty! If any get past Mayura and I, put them down!” Princess Justice ordered. She rushed forward towards the throng of brutes headed towards them and Mayura sent Chat Noir a quick nod of assurance.

“We have things in hand. I’ll keep her safe.” With that, Mayura followed Princess Justice, her arm reaching high over her shoulder before lashing out, catching one adversary in the temple with her fan. He crumpled to the floor in a heap and Mayura turned, her heel flying up to knock away another opponent from the girl’s unguarded back. The rapier appeared over her shoulder next, blocking a blow from a wooden club and Mayura gave her a small nod of thanks.

Princess Justice smirked as they got back to back, they’re weapons held at the ready. “How many on your side?”

“Eight. You?”

“Same. These guys aren’t staying down that long. Put ‘em down now and move while they’re down for five minutes?”

The slight swish of the rapier being turned in her hand flitted into her ear and Mayura grinned. “I like the way you think,” she replied.

“GET THEM!” came the bellow from Mayura’s side, prompting a set of screams through the girls hiding behind the tables.

Mayura ducked a blow, allowing Princess Justice to roll backwards over her back to dodge a hit from the assailant closest to her and her foot flew out, catching one in the solar plexus as a groan and a thud added to the cacophony in the room. Mayura batted away another fist with her closed fan, and she smirked as the appendage went loose, his wrist dislocated from her blow.

“DUCK!” Princess Justice cried, pulling at Mayura’s collar as one hapless thug flew through the air at them, more than likely sent airborne by Chat Noir if he broke off from the main group.

The sharp clang of metal on metal rang through the room and Mayura felt pressure on her back and heard her ally grunt in a less than lady like manner. She resisted, pushing back and helping Princess Justice to hold her attacker at bay. “Princess, I’m sending an amok into your earring! Concentrate on something to help us!”

“Got it!” Princess Justice grunted.

A quick look over her shoulder revealed that her ally was caught in a dead lock with a pipe wielding grunt. Mayura locked onto the feelings of protectiveness emanating from the champion and she plucked a feather from her fan. “Go little amok, aid us,” she whispered before blowing it off in Princess Justice’s direction.

The feather floated, sinking into the bell and making it glow with a soft blue light. Beside them, a hulking figure took form, towering over both the women before a roar shook the room. Mayura cast Princess Justice another quick glance before smirking at her comrade’s cleverness. 

That particular amok was a stroke of genius and would provide excellent offense and defense.

“Papa Garou?!” came Chat Noir’s strangled exclamation from nearby. A few meaty thuds followed his distraught observation and Mayura heard a cry of dismay before a body slammed into the wall nearby. Yet another hapless thug rendered unconscious.

Princess Justice ducked as the amok’s fist planted into the sternum of her assailant and she cast a cheeky grin towards the cat boy. “Like it or not, my papa was one of the toughest akumas you ever faced. He’s just what we need to help us here,” she said. “Papa! To the doors! Don’t let anyone else in!”

“On it, Princess!” The weredad growled out before bounding over to another group of men that entered the room. He took them out with a few well-placed blows, and he sat them all up together before binding them with his vines.

The same was done with the other group once Mayura put down the last of them with a particularly savage snarl and she clapped her hands together as if dusting them off. “That went better than I thought it would,” she commented with a grin towards the champion.

“Dude…” came the awed whisper from behind them. 

* * *

Princess Justice turned around, eyeing Juleka as she peeked over the top of the table. “Stay down until we're ready to move, Jules,” she said, her voice ringing with authority. She turned around to Chat next as he put his baton away. "Any chance you can start evacuating the other girls now that we have a slight lull?" she asked, pointing over her shoulder towards the open windows.

He regarded the distance to the shore before looking over the makeshift barricade, taking a quick head count. “The only problem with that is we don't know when the boat will start moving again. We need someone in the wheelhouse so we can cast out our moors. To make this as quick as possible, I'd need to carry at least five at a time. I'm good, but even I can’t carry that many girls at once,” retorted Chat Noir. 

“Hawk Moth, where are you?” she asked, probing into the connection.

 _Below deck, looking for who is in charge,_ he replied.

Princess Justice scowled, but she looked around the room. Things were calm for the moment. The amok was guarding the door and the other goons were out cold from the altercation. “Did you scoop out the wheelhouse?”

_Empty. Why do you ask?_

“I’ll tell you in a minute. Look for a tall, blond woman with a pixie cut. Her name is Inya Obman.” 

Mayura stiffened at hearing that name and she looked to Princess Justice in surprise. “Inya Obman?” she repeated.

Princess Justice nodded as she sheathed her blade, though she tried her damnedest not to dwell on the recognition on Mayura’s face. She obviously knew the name. “Yes, she’s the one that gave the seminar we were invited to. We’ll cover more on that later, though. Chat, the wheelhouse is empty. What we can do is start escorting the girls to the main deck and we’ll get them to the bridge from there. You, Mayura, and I can all jump that far and high with a three person load, Papa can take several at a time as well. Provided we don't suffer any set backs, we can get all the girls to the bridge in less than ten minutes. Can you scout ahead to make sure we don’t have anyone waiting for us on the alleys leading to the stairwell, and contact Mayura once the coast is clear?" Chat nodded quickly in assent to that, and Princess Justice turned to the other woman. "Once he does, Mayura we'll lead the girls out along this gangway here. I’ll take point, you take center, Papa Garou will bring up the rear. We'll split up the athletes to help cover the front and back and everyone else will be in the middle. Sound good?” she said. Cheers of ascent answered and a few heads poked out over the table. “Alright then, ladies, let's figure out who's going where! I don't know about all of you, but I'm ready to get off this godforsaken boat!” More cheers and laughter met her this time and the tables started moving. 

“Princess, a word for a moment before I go, please? If you don’t mind?” Chat beckoned. She followed him behind the stage so they were out of sight and she saw Tikki come in close once they were in the clear. “Plagg’s been trying to get my attention with her being nearby. How did you lose your earring?”

“I took an elbow to the head. It must have knocked the stud loose,” she whispered. “You doing okay, Tikki?”

The kwami nodded with a proud grin. “I found the other earring, Marinette! Though you won’t be able to transform as you are now. Not unless you want Hawk Moth to know who you are,” she said. 

Princess Justice grinned as she pulled up the longer side of her tunic, revealing her purse. It was a soothing lavender color as opposed to pink. “We’ll make do for now, Tikks. Did you want to go with me or Chat for now?”

“I’ll stay with Chat Noir for now, just in case. I don’t know how aware Hawk Moth is of the items he possesses and I’d rather not take the chance,” Tikki said as she handed Princess Justice the earring. It was deposited into the purse for the time being and she gave her chosen a quick kiss on the brow. “You’ve done so well, I’m proud of you.”

“I am too,” Chat added as he laid a hand on her left shoulder.

Princess Justice’s face fell at those words and she reached up to take his hand in hers. “I’m sorry I didn’t listen, Chat. You, Adrien, and Luka were just trying to look out for us and I was too stubborn to accept that maybe there was something to Adrien’s theory,” she whimpered. She cast her gaze to the floor, too ashamed in her behavior to meet his eyes. 

His fingers tilted her chin back up and she was blessed with a tender gaze and a wan grin. “At least you know where you went awry, Marinette. That doesn’t change the fact that you’re putting yourself on the line to get these girls to safety. You’re Ladybug with or without the powers. I just feel stupid that I didn’t see it sooner,” he replied. His eyes roamed her face as silence hung between them for a moment and he swallowed thickly as they focused on her lips. “May I, my lady, _ma princesse_?”

A sweet blush bloomed over her cheeks, accompanied by a feeling of familiarity. She knew she never heard those words before, but her heart was reacting as if she had. “You may,” she replied. Chat leaned in, his breath fanning over her cheeks as they closed their eyes. Her fingers entwined with his as her heart raced.

But the feeling of his mouth against hers never came. Instead, a low warning growl from behind her brought them both to a pause. They both looked in the direction, startled to see the amok of Papa Garou leaning against the rigging with his arms crossed over his broad chest. His fangs were bared in warning and Princess Justice felt her cheeks burn in embarrassment. 

Thank god her papa wasn't really here to see this.

“Hands off,” snarled Papa Garou in warning, shifting his arms to appear more menacing at Chat.

Chat leaned in closer to whisper in her ear, never once taking his eyes off the amok. “You know, between this one and your dad, I don’t know which one scares me more. I know it's an amok, but still.”

Princess Justice couldn’t help the giggles that bubbled forth and she cupped Chat’s cheek fondly before pressing her lips to it. “We’ll talk more about this later," she cooed. She booped a finger against his nose, drawing a bubbly laugh from the young man. "I purromise. Go scout ahead and let us know what's going on."

He simpered at the pun before bringing her knuckles to his lips. "See you soon, Purrincess," he replied with a sweet smile. She watched as his eyes cut up to the amok in a challenging manner before he smirked. "Screw it," he murmured, and he leaned in, pressing a soft, sweet kiss that was all too brief to her lips. "It might take me a moment longer. I'm need to recharge Plagg," he added.

"Just be safe, Kitty," said Princess Justice as she walked back out from behind the stage. 

* * *

Chat Noir crept along the starboard alley, checking every nook and cranny to be sure no one else was waiting for them. If they were lucky, all the goons were tied up in the conference hall. He eased his way down the steps, checking the deck level before pulling his baton. "Mayura, come in," he said as he made his way back up the stairs. Just because the way was clear now didn't mean that it would be when they brought all the girls out.

"Is everything clear?"

"Roger that," Chat replied. He could hear their footsteps from down the way already and he jogged in an effort to meet them in the middle. His princess was at point, her rapier at the ready. Movement flashed from her left and Chat's eyes widened in fear as a pistol came into sight. A panther like snarl tore from his throat as he jumped, tackling the offender before she could fire off a single bullet. Their gun hand was pinned to the floor, the firearm skittering off uselessly down the hall, and his hand wrapped loosely around the woman's throat. His pupils narrowed to the size of pin pricks as he took her in, recognizing her. "You—" Memories he long since buried came rushing back, slamming into him with the same force as his Cataclysm. Chat Noir —Adrien— knew this woman, knew the depravities she was capable of. 

He was her first attempted victim after all.

White hot rage burned through his blood, igniting his body with scorching flames of agonized memory that screamed for justice. He could feel the taint of her hands on his skin all over again, hear the echoes of his cries falling deaf on her ears, pleading to go back his mother and father, ringing through his mind in a loop. The hand at her throat tightened, not enough to cut off her air supply, but enough that the tips of his claws dug into her skin without breaking through. 

"You've caused so much misery," he hissed, his voice shaky. Chat Noir trembled as another memory rocked him, her shooting a woman dressed much like Mayura —That Chat now realized was another wielder of the Peacock Miraculous—, the bullet ricocheting off the brooch she wore. The pain that woman was in from the magic sparking off her miraculous; and shooting into her, as she returned him to his panicking father was so palpable at the time. Chat recalled sobbing out of fear that she would die. The look in her green eyes was sadder than anything he ever witnessed.

It was this wretch's fault his father turned hid away from the world, forcing him into a gilded cage that he managed to get out of only two years ago.

It was this scum's fault that all those innocent girls from across Europe were taken, and forced to do only God knew what.

All because she failed once before to get her hands on the one thing Gabriel Agreste coveted the most, his son.

Inya Obman.

She was one of his father's former models that he worked with at a young age, around when he was eight or nine. Her touches always lingered a little too long and she constantly insisted he call her "Mama" if neither of his parents were in ear shot. That trend continued to one afternoon that she said they were going out for ice cream upon finishing the shoot. There was no ice cream, only fear, despair, and her insistence that he was all hers now.

That she owned him.

Even then, he refused to be owned by anyone and he kept crying for help until that other peacock wielder came to his rescue. "You didn't learn the first time, did you?" Chat Noir's hand raised as he called upon his power again, and he felt the magic roil over his hand with pent up rage. Faintly he heard his princess crying for him, but he couldn't make out the words over the pounding blood in his ears. He could barely see her being held back by Mayura in his peripheral vision, he was so laser focused on the woman below him. "If I have anything to say about it, you'll never do this again!" he snarled, his green eyes wide and crazed.

He pulled his hand down, ready to meet justice upon this living embodiment of pure evil, but another hand grasped his wrist, keeping it away from the devil woman. Chat Noir looked over his shoulder, his lips curled, hackles raised, and fangs bared. Hawk Moth stood beside them, his blue eyes flicking between the hero and the pinned villain. "Let. Me. GO!" he raged, shaking and straining to pull himself from the older man's grip. "Even with everything you've done, you aren't half the monster she is! You don't know even half of what's she's capable of!"

Hawk Moth shook his head and a pained expression settled over his face. "You're wrong. I do know the horrors she's capable of—" The butterfly wielder swallowed thickly as two tears fell down his cheeks, his breathing ragged as he took a knee beside Chat. "—son," he whispered.


	5. Fallout

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien makes a few choices. He needs to unpack and decompress before he explodes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo....I was thinking this chapter was going to wrap everything up all nice and neat in about 5k words.
> 
> How how wrong I was. There's going to be a sixth chapter. The circumstances of that chapter did not fit in with the over all mood and general flow of this one, so a split is necessary!

Son?

Was that supposed to be meant in the way her father used it when speaking to one of her guy friends? Or—

The color Chat was turning was alarming, but to his credit the Cataclysm dissipated to nothing. 

“No—”

“Son, keep your head level for now. We’ll talk this over more in depth after we return home,” Hawk Moth whispered.

Princess Justice’s eyes widened in shock and she felt Mayura’s grip on her loosen as her face fell as well. “Chat?” she whimpered. Thank god they herded the girls further back when Chat pounced on Inya. They wouldn’t hear any of this damning information.

“I’m not talking to you unless my partner is present and we’re in a public place. Quite frankly, I don’t trust you not to take my miraculous at the first available chance,” Chat hissed as he wrenched his hand out of the other man’s grasp. He exploded to his feet, and he turned his wounded expression to her and Mayura. 

Princess Justice didn’t wait a second longer before tearing herself out of Mayura’s grasp, running over to Chat, and she wrapped her arms around him in a protective embrace. She could feel his soul shattering with this revelation. “It’s okay,” she whispered as he hid his face against the column of her neck. “It’s going to be okay, Kitty. Let’s take care of the girls and you can take me home.”

Chat nodded before drawing in a ragged breath full of emotion and he stood straight once more after a moment. His face twisted into a snarl as he looked down upon Inya with absolute disgust. “What about her?” he spat.

Hawk Moth cracked his neck as he too sneered down upon the villain. “I have questions for her, so Mayura and I will take her with us. You’re the one that crafted the parlay to include all the missing young women across Europe, after all. I fully intend to find out where they are,” he whispered.

As Ladybug, Marinette normally wouldn’t allow this, but if anyone could get the information needed, it was probably their nemeses. “And after you get the information you’re looking for?”

Hawk Moth gave her a slight glare, but it was tempered with a smirk that she readily recognized as her partner’s when he was being cheeky. “Please, Princess, I have some modicum of decorum. She’ll be turned over to the proper authorities once I’ve finished with her,” he said as he flicked a mote of imaginary dust from his lapel. “For the time being though, we have other business to attend to.”

Surprisingly, Chat nodded first. “You’re right there. Let’s finish this up. I don’t want to be around that demon in disguise any longer than I have to be,” he whispered as he took Princess Justice’s hand. She gave him a quick, silent squeeze of support in turn and they turned towards the crowd of young women. “I’ve got a lot to unpack the minute we’re alone,” he admitted.

She leaned her head on his shoulder. “And that’s okay. Just take your time and settle down first,” she replied.

The rest of the rescue went quicker than anticipated. Hawk Moth recalled his butterfly before he and Mayura left, taking a bound and gagged Inya Obman with them. The police and news vans soon swarmed the bridge, taking statements from all the girls and Chat waited off to the side for Marinette. 

“Is there anything else you’d like to say while you have the chance?” asked Nadja Chamack.

Marinette beamed ear to ear as she nodded. “This might be a little unprecedented, but this is a message for Hawk Moth and Mayura. Thank you. You proved something here today that I don’t think Paris has ever realized about you, and I’m eternally grateful that you came to our aid. I hope this wasn’t a one time occurrence either, because being a champion was thrilling. To see your miraculous used for their original purpose was something out of a dream!” she said while looking into the camera.

“You heard it here first, Paris! Indeed, we owe a great deal of gratitude to those we’ve only considered villains. This is Nadja Chamack, signing off!” chirped the reporter. “That was amazing, Marinette. Once you’ve had time to process everything, can I count on an interview on what it was like to be the only citizen of Paris that wasn’t akumatized when offered power?”

Marinette shrugged her shoulders. “We’ll see, Nadja. To be honest, I’d rather just let the kerfuffle die down. You know how I feel about being thrust into the spotlight,” she said. “Nonetheless, I’m going home. Have a good day, Nadja!”

“Chat Noir! Before you leave, can I get a brief statement on what it was like to ally yourself with your enemies? Where was Ladybug today?” Nadja asked.

“Ladybug warned me a few days ago that she would be out of town, but reachable if I needed her. I made the judgement call to help them on my own, considering we all had the same goal. I was pleasantly surprised with how well everything came together after we rendezvoused on the way to the boat. If you’ll excuse me, however, I believe Miss Dupain-Cheng here has a brief detour to make before she can go home,” said Chat. He scooped Marinette up into his arms before jumping for the nearest roof and he lazily made a trek across the rooftops towards the Seine.

“Detour?”

“Just an excuse to get out of there sooner. I gave enough of an answer that can be corroborated but the rest of the witnesses, after all,” he replied wearily. His ears flattened against the top of his head as he landed on her balcony and he pulled her in close. “That was terrifying, Nettie.”

Marinette’s arms wrapped tightly around his torso and she rested her head over his heart. “I’m sorry, _Chaton_.” Her fingers threaded through his hair, combing through the messy blond strands as they stood there, soaking up the affection and attention from one another. “Is he really—”

Chat Noir stiffened for a moment before drawing away. “My father? Yeah. It makes more sense that I want to admit,” he said, rubbing his neck worriedly.

“Knowing he’s your father doesn’t change how I feel about you, _mon minou_ . You’re still my goofy, pun loving, dorky _Chaton_ , and nothing will change that,” Marinette assured him, taking him by the hand.

Chat used that moment to pull Marinette in, his free hand cradling her cheek before sliding into the loose strands of hair near the nape of her neck. His head lowered down to hers, and Marinette went to her tiptoes to close the distance. His lips crashed against hers, and Marinette couldn’t hold back the pleased hum at the contact. 

They pulled at each other, trying to bring the other closer than they already were until Chat hoisted her up and her legs wrapped around his waist. He only made three strides, unburdened by her weight, and she gasped into his mouth when her back hit the chimney wall. Chat deepened the kiss, his hands sweeping up her sides before coming to rest at her neck. His thumbs stroked her jawline as his kisses tapered from fiery and passionate to sweet and tender. 

Finally, they broke apart, breaths panting and mingling. Marinette felt Chat’s brow touch hers as they clung together and she felt his nose brush along hers in circles. 

“I love you.”

Marinette’s eyes flew open in shock. How did he know she was just getting ready to say that?! 

“I’ve been fighting with myself for so long. Fighting myself about who I should love when the answer was clear as day before me. Plagg kept pushing me towards you, and I couldn’t figure out why. You’re so far out of my league, Marinette, but I’ll be the luckiest man in Paris if you accept me.”

“Why wouldn’t I?” she whispered.

“Because I want you to know who I am,” he whispered. His lips brushed hers again and Marinette’s fingers tangled in his hair. “I have to tell you. I’ll drive myself mad if I have to keep any distance between us if I don’t reveal myself to you. Not when I want to be with you with every fiber of my being.” His lips pressed butterfly kisses along her jaw before coming to a stop at her ear. “Will you let me?”

Marinette’s left hand settled over his right, her fingers blindly following the shape of his ring. “Claws in,” she murmured in his ear, and he gasped in surprise as the magic fell. Marinette smiled with a sly chuckle. “Guardian perk,” she said by way of explanation. She closed her eyes, leaning back as his fingers traced over her face. 

“Open your eyes, princess,” he urged, his lips pressing into her cheek next. “As selfish as it sounds, I want you to love all of me.”

“That’s not selfish, Chat,” Marinette chided. “I closed my eyes to take you in all at once.” She brought both her hands back to his neck, her fingers sweeping over the newly bared skin before pulling him in closer. Familiar cologne curled into her nose, making her heart thunder. 

Sure her power was luck itself, but she couldn’t be that lucky. 

“Nah ah ah, princess. No more kisses until you open your eyes,” purred her partner, a teasing lilt to his voice. She could feel the smirk on his lips.

Marinette’s lower lip jutted in a pout, though it turned into a soft gasp of surprise when he pulled at it gently with his teeth. Her eyes opened of their own volition and her heart stopped in her chest at seeing Adrien Agreste nose to nose with her. 

It was him. It was always him beside her, saving her, lifting her up when she needed it the most. She rejected him for years for himself before letting him go.

And yet her heart found its way back to him without her realizing it. 

“How could you think I don’t love all of you? I’ve loved both sides of you for longer than you know,” she whispered before capturing his lips with hers. 

* * *

Gabriel was pacing his atelier when a knock sounded at the door and he absently called out for them to enter, expecting it to be Nathalie. 

“Father,” came Adrien’s hardened voice. 

His eyes snapped over to where his son stood across the room, staying close to the door. His body language was more guarded than Gabriel ever saw from him before and his heart sank. “Adrien,” he said in greeting.

“I’m staying over at Marinette’s for a few days, at least until you, Nathalie, and I can meet up with Ladybug. There we can talk. Now that you know my iden—” Adrien began.

“I won’t be sending out any more akumas, Adrien. I promise you. Is Marinette alright? Did she get home safely?” he asked.

Adrien nodded stiffly. “I made sure of it. She also knows who’s on the other side of the mask, and who you are as well,” said the model, his warning clear. 

Gabriel nodded as he ran a shaking hand through his hair. “I’ll have Nathalie clear your schedule for the coming weeks. Thankfully, summer vacation is right around the corner and we’ll be able to mask our efforts to rescue the other young women with that. How amenable would Ladybug be to such an alliance?”

“More amenable than you think, but that’s something you need to ask her. She can still join the parlay. I’ll message you when I’m able to speak with her.”

Gabriel sat down heavily and his head fell into his hands. “I never wanted you to know, Adrien. I swear to you, I only had the best reasons for trying to get your’s and Ladybug’s jewels,” he began, his voice pleading with his son to understand. The realization that he had indirectly hurt or killed his son several times weighed like a ten ton block on his heart. 

Never again. 

Gabriel wouldn’t fight his own family.

“You and Ladybug can tell Paris I won’t be seeking the miraculous any longer,” he whispered, reaching up to his collar to remove Nooroo’s brooch.

“I’ll believe it when I see it. Don’t renounce your kwami just yet. We still have work to do. Like I said, I’ll be at the bakery if you need me for anything.” Adrien opened the door, though he stopped himself from stepping out. “As much as I don’t want to know, I have to ask—” His son took a deep breath, steeling his nerves and he turned apprehensive, distrusting green eyes to Gabriel.

“Why?”

There it was, the question he was not at all prepared to answer. Gabriel swallowed thickly and he looked to the ornate painting of his wife.

“To bring Mom back? Father, she left us!”

“She didn’t leave, Adrien.” The stern words left his mouth before he could stop them and he gestured for Adrien to join him. “I’m showing this to you in good faith. Maybe you’ll understand more once I do. It’ll be something to discuss with your partner for that matter,” he finished as he depressed the buttons to activate the lift.

* * *

Adrien wasn’t sure what to expect as they traveled down below the manor, but his fight or flight instinct was running on high. With them being known to each other, their kwamis talked in hushed tones in a tongue he didn’t speak, and Plagg gave Nooroo a long hug with a small smile on his face. The lift came to a stop and his father led the way down a long, dark walkway. He could hear running water around them and Adrien scowled. 

He didn’t want to be here alone, but his father seemed intent on showing him this. 

Whatever it was.

Lights turned on automatically the further they walked down the metal catwalk, and Plagg landed on Adrien’s shoulder.

“You okay, kitten?”

“I’m far from okay, Plagg. I just found out that LB and I have been fighting my father these last few years,” he whispered.

“It’s not the first time I’ve seen both miraculous and family members on opposite sides. I’m just glad this time we have a more or less peaceful resolution,” replied the kwami.

Gabriel turned around once they came to a stop and he rested a hand on Adrien’s shoulder. “You mother didn’t disappear out of thin air, son,” he began as he steered the younger Agreste in front of him.

Adrien looked upon the golden glass top sarcophagus and tears filled his eyes as he looked down upon the beautiful face of his mother for the first time in years. She hadn’t aged a day since he last saw her. His knees gave out and he eased down to the patch of grass surrounding the device. The tears spilled, running down his cheeks unchecked and his chest clenched in sorrow. “She’s been here this whole time and you couldn’t tell me?” he hissed out.

Gabriel shook his head as he joined Adrien on the ground. “I didn’t know how to explain it. Dusuu had gone mad because the shot from Inya’s gun damaged the brooch, but he mentioned something of what he called the greatest power in the universe. Nooroo assured me that we could heal Emilie if we fixed the jewel, but it would take time, more time than your mother had. It was then your mother and I agreed to have her put into stasis because her body was ravaged from within by the broken miraculous. I managed to fix it some time ago, and with the exception of one week each month, Dusuu is down here with your mother. She’s been improving, but it’s not enough,” he replied, his eyes casting down. 

“Did she know you were going to become a terrorist?” spat Adrien as he shook his father’s hand off. He jumped to his feet, putting space between himself and the man that sired him. “Would she have honestly approved of these measures if she knew you were going to do this?!”

Gabriel gave his son a stoney glare, but he did not rage. “I’m not proud of what I’ve done for the sake of our family, Adrien. I fully intended to pay my dues once she was restored. Even if it meant living out the rest of my days in prison. A decision that is now up to you and your partner now that you know my reasons for trying to get both of your miraculous,” he whispered. He turned his head away, but he plucked the brooch from under his cravat and held it out to him. “Once Nathalie is finished with Dusuu, we’ll return the other brooch to you to give to your partner. I will not fight my own son, no matter how desperate I am to find a solution to make your mother well again. Return Nooroo to his brethren.”

Adrien stared at his father, calculating. “One week,” he whispered. “I’ll be at the bakery for a week. You have that amount of time to get whatever information you need out of that—” Adrien bristled as he thought of Inya, and then his father’s words hit him hard.

His mother had been the one wearing the peacock miraculous when he was kidnapped by Inya all those years ago. He was the reason she was like this. Unable to contain himself, Adrien spat a few vulgar words out in Mandarin as his nails dug into his unguarded palm. “Keep Nooroo with you for now. I’m putting you on a trial of my own.” His father’s eyes snapped to him at those words, and Nooroo gave him a small smile. “One week, no akumas, no amoks. No evil doing period. One week to get the information about the other missing girls and whatever operation she’s running out of that demon in human flesh, while I stay with Marinette and her family. As it stands, I don’t trust you and I don’t want to be around you, especially after learning about my mom. If you can manage all that for a week, I’ll consider returning to the manor.” Adrien stalked for the lift, but his pace slowed at the next words his father whispered. 

“I’m sorry, Adrien.”

* * *

He was numb from the inside out, staring at the ceiling of the guest room of the Dupain-Cheng’s guest room. To Tom and Sabine’s knowledge, Adrien had a disagreement with his father and needed some space without being under the same roof. They opened their doors and arms to him in that exact moment, their care a balm over his wounded heart. 

“Plagg?”

“Yeah kid?”

“You’re a solid judge of actions and your more insightful than you let on. Don’t bother denying it, we’ve been partners for too long. How sincere do you think he is?”

The kwami floated into his line of sight before settling on Adrien’s chest, purring as he curled up against his chosen. “If you asked me that any other time, I would have said not a word. He’s telling the truth this time. At this point, he’s lost everything. You know his identity and vice versa, and he’s being crushed under the guilt that’s been building up these last three years. He’s lost you too, in a sense. He had no more reason to lie or hide behind schemes,” said Plagg, slowly and carefully. 

“He’s all I’ve had since Mom—” His throat tightened and Adrien covered his face with one arm. He struggled to breathe, not wanting to wake the wonderful couple in the room next door with his sobs of heart break. “I hate everything he’s done to Paris, to me, to Marinette. Especially Marinette! Worst of all, I hate him.” More ragged breaths filled the silence and he heard Plagg purr louder in an effort to soothe him. “Is that wrong of me?” he whimpered.

Plagg lifted up from Adrien’s chest, nuzzling the young man’s cheek as he continued to purr like a boat motor. “Definitely not. Your world got turned on its head today and you learned a lot. It’s gonna hurt for a long time, but you’re doing the right thing right now. You’re getting space from each other. You’ve made a stand and I know Tikki, Marinette, and I are going to support you one hundred percent.”

A soft knock echoed through the room and Adrien pulled the blanket over his head. 

“Adrien?” Marinette’s voice flitted sweetly to his ears and he hunched in on himself. “I know you’re awake. I heard you talking to Plagg a second ago. Can I come in?”

“Just...Just give me a minute,” he replied. He threw the blanket off, and angrily wiped the tears from his eyes. “Can I meet you on the balcony instead?”

“Yeah. I’ve got some supper ready for you, along with a plethora of snacks and hot cocoa, just the way you like it.”

“I’m not hungry,” he whispered, looking anywhere but at the door where she poked her head into the room.

At that moment, his stomach gave a long, low pitched whiny growl that better resembled a whale song than a cry for sustenance. His cheeks flamed crimson and Marinette gave only the softest of giggles at the sound. “I’ll get a movie pulled up on my laptop. We can watch it on the lounger so we don’t wake my parents up. Sound good?”

A movie and cuddles? Hadn't she promised him that Thursday night?

He could think of worse ways to spend a Saturday night. A wan grin crossed his face and he looked over to Plagg as Marinette shut the door behind her. 

“Just because she promised Chat Noir cuddles doesn’t mean Adrien can’t collect on them. Especially now that both of you know,” Plagg said, scowling a little. 

Welp, the cat did not want to go in the ring tonight. Probably because he wanted to spend time with Tikki. Adrien wasn’t going to take that from him if he could help it. 

“Don’t even think of uttering the transformation phrase. Got it, Plagg,” said Adrien with a sad chortle. He got to his feet and padded to the bathroom, washing his face before climbing the stairs to Marinette’s attic bedroom. The door was open, and he felt the smell of baozi slam into his nose, making his mouth water. 

Sabine made the best baozi, and it was one of Adrien’s personal favorites when he visited the bakery over the last few months. Did Marinette make them with her? He raced up the steps to her loft bed, and climbed out the window as fast as his arms could pull him. His stomach gave another insistent whine as the smell the dumplings got stronger and his mouth watered so much he nearly drooled. 

The plate was piled high with the delectable offerings and Adrien hovered over it for a moment, just breathing in the savory scent. 

“Those are fresh buns. I made them this time!” she chirped happily. 

Pulling away from the heavenly aroma was the hardest thing he ever did, but he pulled Marinette into his arms, and buried his face in the crook of her neck. She took the time to make one of his favorite things, just because she knew he loved them and that it might elevate his mood. “I love you. Seriously, you knew what I needed even if I didn’t,” he whispered. He raised his head enough to capture her lips in a soft, sweet kiss that made her melt against him and Adrien savored the moment.

In the same manner that he was about to savor wonderful, delicious, homemade steamed fluffy balls of savory divinity.

If he thought pulling away from the buns was hard, pulling away from Marinette’s lips after such a brief taste was harder by a thousand fold. The only thing that strengthened his efforts was another whale song like moan from his empty stomach.

Marinette laughed softly as she pushed him towards the lounger and set the screen up for easy viewing. All the food was moved into reach and Adrien sighed in quiet contentment as Marinette settled into his lap. He couldn’t help but dissolve into helpless gales of laughter when he saw that she chose Finding Nemo as their movie tonight.

A feeling of home, of belonging, settled over him and Adrien rested his cheek against the top of her head. Even if his heart was heavy, it was also full. Things were bad, but they had so much potential to get better too. Adrien needed to hold onto that hope. He prayed that hope would lead to an improved relationship with his father. 

Well, he’d find out for sure in one week. For now?

Adrien was going to make the best of it and enjoy the time spent with the one he adored.


	6. Resolve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both sides meet for peace talks and an unexpected resolution takes place. Inya's fate is sealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are folks! The last chapter of Terror on La Seine! I'm sad to announce that with this posting that I'll be taking a hiatus from posting for a while, only if to focus on things in my everyday life. You can find the full message I put out in Chapter 25 of My Sweetest Princess, which details the reasoning, but rest assured when I come back it'll be with fresh content! Nonetheless, thank you all for your support during this wild roller coaster ride of a fiction and I want each and every one of you to know that your comments and criticisms, your theories on what'll happen next, are such a joy to read and revel in. Without further adieu, I'll leave you to your reading! Stay safe, sane, and healthy and I'll see you all soon!

Chat Noir and Ladybug stood atop an abandoned warehouse, watching the skyline for the two that would be meeting with them in short order. 

"Are you sure about this?"

"He wants to make reparations? We'll put him to work. We have jurisdiction because of the Magical Law versus Mortal Law the Mayor drafted up. Press conferences will help with that, but we need to give the city something to work with. If both of them can curtail minor crime or help those that need it most, it'll be a step in the right direction and showing the people that even villains can change," said Ladybug with a heavy sigh.

"Their powersets would be best for the things that happen behind closed doors, the things we can't combat if we don't see them in the light of day," added Chat. "Honestly, that suits my father the best, considering the empathic nature of the Butterfly Miraculous."

Ladybug nodded. "While he hasn't been father of the year, I have noticed that he won't stand for that level of abuse either," she finished.

"As much as I hate to admit it, you're right," said Chat with a furrow in his brow. His eyes fixated on something in the distance and he stood up straight. "They're coming." He felt Ladybug's hand settle on his shoulder, and his tail lashed side to side in agitation. "I know none of this is my fault, lovebug. I still can't help but feel pissed I didn't see it sooner."

"You're right none of this is your fault. No one wants to suspect their father is their arch nemesis," she whispered. "For what it's worth, I think you're handling this better than you think you are."

Chat didn't have the chance to respond as two heavy thumps announced the arrival of Mayura and—

What the ever loving hell?! That didn't look like Hawkmoth, but it was undoubtedly his father. He was dressed in a white suit with black spots along the back of his waist coat, and his cane looked as if it were made of polished ashe. His blond hair was blowing free in the night wind, wild and untamed in a way that Chat never saw it before. He looked over to Ladybug, who was also surprised at this turn of events. Both their jaws dropped at this sudden metamorphosis.

"I told you he would be stunned speechless," Mayura said with a soft laugh. There was a gentler look to her suit as well, but it hadn't changed much.

Chat moved to speak first, but his father held his hand up to stay the words. "There is an explanation for this, and I'll give it, just not out in the open. For the time being, you can call me by the true name I took on when I first became the holder of the butterfly: Mendican," he stated with a slight, yet posh bow.

Chat couldn't hold back the snort and Ladybug shot him a look. "As in Diaphora Mendica, or the Muslin Moth," he said. He couldn't hold back the chuckle at the perplexed look on his partner's face at the random knowledge he supplied. "I had a science tutor who was really into entomology. I can rattle off scientific names in my sleep."

Mendican chortled softly as well as he leaned in close to whisper in Chat's ear. "Wait until she figures out it's a play on words," he laughed.

Chat looked perplexed for a second before he broke down the components of the name.

Mend. I. Can.

Sunova bitch, his father was a punny genious. Chat couldn't help the giggles that took him over. His poor lady was in trouble, she had yet to realize where Chat himself got his punny ways from.

Mendican cleared his throat after a moment. "Your mother appreciated that one too," he said, though he pointed towards the open window with the cane. "Is it safe to assume we're headed inside?"

"It is. We've already taken the measures to secure the perimeter. No one followed us here, but the same might not be said for you," Ladybug replied.

Mayura shook her head in the negative. "We took a roundabout route ourselves to get here. Thankfully, we were able to see your location on the map still, Chat Noir."

"It's because the parlay is still in effect. Ladies first, if you please, I need to speak to Mendican alone for a moment," said Chat as he waved both Ladybug and Mayura towards the entrance. His expression fell as he crouched on the nearby railing trying to find the words to say what he needed. "Have you gotten anything out of that devil woman yet?"

Mendican shook his head in the negative before he stepped in closer to lean on the rail. "It's not for lack of trying. We'll need you or Ladybug to beseech the chief of police to allow us to keep her in our custody. Maybe offer ourselves in conjunction with Interpol on the matter?"

Chat's tail lashed side to side again, though this time in thought. "It's a step. You and I need to have a long, hard talk once all this is said and done," he whispered.

"You're hurt, and justifiably angry. I don't expect you to curb your words when we do. I know you have a lot to get off your chest, but we have other matters to deal with at the time being," Mendican replied as he looked at his son. 

Chat's eyes narrowed as he side-eyed his father. "Aside from the emotional neglect? The overloading of my daily schedule to keep me isolated from my peers? The outright dismissal of my personal comfort when I expressed how uncomfortable Lila makes me? The fact that you've been terrorizing Paris for the better part of almost three years under my very nose and hurting the people I care about? Or should I go in Cataclysm blazing with the fact you outright dismissed my concerns about Lila's touchy-feely ways and blew off my personal concerns about being around her when I saw her for the person she is! How did you put it again? She'd make a great friend for you?" His lips raised in a hiss, baring his fangs in distaste at the very thought. "Sure, all that's going to have to be put on the back burner for the time being."

Mendican's face fell, but he did not attempt to justify his actions. "I understand you're staying with Marinette and her family for the interim. How long will that be?"

"Tom and Sabine said for as long as I needed, and Marinette swears I'm not an imposition on them. I'm contributing to the grocery budget considering there are two ravenous teens under the roof, though they won't hear of me paying them any sort of rent or the like. I'd like to stay there a little longer, at least until the wound isn't so raw looking at you. However, I'm willing to come home for lunch and by for supper twice, maybe three times in the coming weeks so we can start repairing the rift between us," Chat admitted. As upset as he was, he really did want to try again. His father clearly turned over a new leaf if Nooroo was giving him this suit to wear again. 

Inspiration hit him, making his ears flick up with sudden alertness and his eyes widened as he patted Mendican's arm. "I know what we can say to the public," he said softly at first, but his excitement and enthusiasm was quickly mounting. "Let's get down there with the ladies. I need to check with LB on something really fast. If she doesn't know, I'll have to ask one of our kwamis."

Chat followed Mendican through the open window and he landed in an elegant crouch before calling off his transformation. "Plagg, sit tight and I'll get your cheese in a sec. LB, did Fu mention anything about curses or something of the like that can be put on a miraculous?" he asked.

Ladybug gave him a skeptical look before glancing to Mendican and back again. "He did, actually? Why do you ask?"

Adrien grinned ear to ear as he sat down. "Because I have an idea on how we announce Hawk Moth's sudden change of heart," he replied as he pointed a finger into the table. "First order of business though, did you want to reveal here so we can plan appropriately? You know who all three of us are after all, and I know your identity now too."

"It's probably for the best, considering the loose plan you mentioned your father came up with," Ladybug replied. She called off her transformation at the same time Mendican and Mayura did, though the two adults did a double take at seeing Marinette seated at the table with them. 

Adrien was surprised to see his father clench his chest as if he were experiencing a heart attack. "Father?!"

"I'm fine...Just—I'm just suffering from a severe case of irony is all. I recognized who you were the other day because of your...fondness—" Gabriel began.

"You can say romantic inclinations, best we smooth out all the _wrinkles,_ " grinned Adrien as he sat up a little straighter. "Marinette and I have already cleared the air on that front."

Gabriel snorted in his mirth as he cleaned his glasses. "I was _laundering_ if that had come up in the time that you've been over there," he shot back and both men grinned when Marinette groaned in dismay.

"Not you too!" she cried as her head fell forward. Her shoulders raised for a moment as she drew in a deep breath and, without looking, gave Gabriel a wave of her hand for him to continue. 

"As I was saying, I recognized you, Adrien, because of your maudlin rapport for Marinette while I served as a telepathic conduit for the two of you Saturday. I thought to myself, What's next? Marinette Dupain-Cheng is Ladybug?"

The table dissolved into laughter at that and Adrien cast a quick glance at his father. This felt much like the family dinners they used to have, with Gabriel cracking a joke or two and he and his mother laughing hysterically at that. 

* * *

"Now that that's sorted however, I believe it's time to flesh out any plans for finding and rescuing the rest of the girls across Europe," Gabriel said as he looked to Marinette. "I'll have Nathalie contact your parents in short order about a summer internship offer while Adrien and I are traveling abroad to promote the brand and to participate in fashion shows. That will be valuable knowledge for you to have once you're either in school or striking out on your own. The brand will cover all expenses, including paying the fees for your passport should it be needed, but that'll be the cover for our real goal."

"Adrien and I already surmised that the other night. Looks like you owe me a week's worth of dishes, Kitty," Marinette said with a grin and Adrien huffed under his breath. 

"I've already started organizing the tour, and will be more than happy to provide your parents the itinerary. I've also arranged a budget for clothing, and other personal items to be purchased before the trip, though this is optional," Nathalie said.

Marinette's eyes brightened. "Can we throw in some fabric instead?!" she asked.

Gabriel chuckled and he nodded. "The more I think on it, this is shaping up to be more of a mentorship program rather than an internship with the company, Nathalie. Adrien told me he wishes to stay with you and your parents for a little longer. Will this be permissible?"

Marinette nodded without hesitation and Gabriel allowed himself a small smile.

Emilie would love this girl so much...

"Adrien is more than welcome to stay as long as he needs, but my parents put forth the provision that the two of you need to work on your relationship if he's to do so. They're not too happy about him pitching in for food, but they don't understand how fast we burn it off just yet. I'm going to come clean with them soon, now that there's no more risk of akumatizations. Hopefully, it will clear any lingering mistrust about my absences and tardies," she replied.

"That works out, because I already pitched the idea to Father about me coming home daily for lunch and having dinner over there two or three times a week," Adrien supplied. 

"To add to that, Marinette, you're more than welcome to join him at any time. Provided we can work out something with your parents, maybe you and I can do a joint project to announce when we return to Paris? A teen specific line, perhaps?" Gabriel said.

The looks on their faces were priceless at his offer, but it got the wheels in his head turning. The first order of business for the morning would be releasing Lila Rossi from her modeling contract and restricting her access to Adrien further. The italian girl's complaints about the young woman before him were front and center of his thoughts, as Lila claimed Marinette was the worst influence on Adrien and would use and manipulate his son to further her own goals.

He should have realized from the start the girl was projecting her own intentions onto someone else.

"Marinette," spoke the elder Agreste in a soft voice at first. "What is your history with Lila Rossi?"

Marinette looked worriedly to Adrien as she curled in on herself. Was it possible Adrien didn't know the whole story? With a deep breath in, the raven haired girl spoke. "I've known from the start that Lila was lying to everyone. She's the one that took your book and tried to pass herself off as a descendant of a fox hero to Adrien. I'm not proud of the way I called her out, but I was upset at her for getting Adrien's hopes up the way she did, while simultaneously talking smack about my alter-ego. After she returned to school, she threatened me in the bathroom, stating that she'd take away all my friends and get Adrien all to herself. It's been a war of attrition between us since she framed me for theft, cheating, and assault and got me expelled," she whispered. "She's since continued to threaten me, and has been spreading rumors to cast me in an unfavorable light to our classmates. Little by little, everyone, save for Adrien, is falling for it." She winced as Adrien's hand settled on her shoulder and she blinked up at him with tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry I never told you, and I've been trying to take the high road like you suggested."

Adrien shook his head as he gathered his partner tenderly in his arms. Gabriel was hit with a sudden sense of deja vu looking at them. 

It was he and Emilie all over again.

"I wish you told me sooner, bluebells," whispered Adrien. "I'm so sorry you felt you couldn't come to me about this."

Gabriel's fingers drummed against the table, but it was Nathalie that spoke next. "What sorts of untruths has she been telling the class?"

"Promises of celebrity connections, using her supposed influence to get them an in in their preferred activities or talents," Adrien drawled.

Nathalie chuckled darkly at that. "Meal ticket syndrome," she stated without missing a beat and she looked over to Gabriel. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

Gabriel chuckled as well as he nodded. “Brilliant as always, Nathalie,” he replied. “We’ll cover more on that later however. Did Adrien explain the other circumstances?”

“About your wife? Yes. And I have the means to help her,” Marinette announced. “Adrien and I have been pouring over the texts Fu left me these last few days and I know how to do the ritual needed to restore Mrs. Agreste to full health. It will take some time, and daily visits to do so, however, which works out for us joining you at the manor for lunch every day. If we start tomorrow, once I can get everything I need, it’ll only be a few short weeks. Just in time for the summer break.”

The table went silent for a moment and Gabriel rose his hands to his face and he couldn’t hold back the tears of relief that fell. Despite everything he did, this girl was still willing to help him complete the goal he started on that September day. 

“For the time being, we have Inya sequestered in a cell,” Nathalie explained. “She’s proven to be very tight lipped about any of the information we need on the missing girls.”

“I’ll speak to the chief of police and get in touch with Interpol to explain our plans, but we need to turn her over to the proper authorities for the time being and work on a means to break her,” Marinette replied.

“Between the two of us, we can keep her here in Paris. However, we won’t be able to remove her from whatever facility they cram her in. Maybe we can work it out to where she’s stuck in isolation for a while?” Adrien asked. “Not even the guards can talk to her? Maybe a few weeks of no human contact will drive her insane.”

Gabriel chanced a look at his son. When did he get so ruthless? Considering the history they shared with Inya, though, it wasn’t that surprising. “That sounds like a plausible situation. I’ll allow the two of you to deliver her to the authorities. We still need to figure out what to tell the public.”

Adrien gave him a cheshire grin from across the table. “Like I said, I’ve got that covered. I’ll speak to Andre about setting up the press conference and write up the speech for you to deliver. Just be forewarned, you're not going to like it and no, you can't change it.”

Gabriel nodded and he sighed. “Very well, please email it to me once it’s complete,” he drawled.

Standing behind the podium three days later, Mendican regretted not fighting harder to adjust the script his son wrote.

“People of Paris,” he began, looking out over the crowd. “I stand before you remorseful and deeply troubled by the horrors I’ve committed against our city and its people. My name is Mendican, but you’ve known me by another name for nearly three years.

“Hawk Moth.”

He took a deep breath in as he looked over the cards again and then to Ladybug and Chat Noir as they stood nearby, offering their support. “All I can offer is an explanation. Eons ago, when magic still ran rampant in the world, a curse was placed on the miraculous I bear. One that drives the wearer into an inescapable madness.” Several gasps were heard through the crowd, along with murmurs. “As far as I know, mine is the only one that suffers this malady, and according to the guardians, is different for each bearer that suffers because of it. I admit I’ve had my miraculous for nearly two decades now, though the madness only came upon me in recent years. It was only recently that I was finally able to free myself of the hold, though I’m still baffled as to how. I have no recollection of the last few years because of that influence, much like the victims that were akumatized. However, I can promise you that there will no longer be any akumas to terrorize the city, and I will be helping Ladybug and Chat Noir to protect the people from here on. I only hope that you will give me the chance to prove as such, much like you’ve done for those that committed acts under that noxious prodding. Thank you for your time, and I hope to be half the hero these two fine young people are to you.”

Chat Noir took control of the podium as the questions flooded in and he cast Mendican a quick wink. “I’ll be fielding the questions, though admittedly, we don’t have long. You there, in the front with the glasses, red hair.”

A young woman that he recognized as Alya Cesaire raised her notepad in preparation to write. “Alya Cesaire, Ladyblog. Mendican, would you go so far as to say that the memory lapse you suffered these years is why the akuma victims could not recall their time under Hawk Moth’s influence?” she asked.

“I believe that is an exceedingly plausible theory. Akumatizations were a bastardization of the power I offer to champions, those that willingly accept the power with noble purpose. It was not the way the miraculous was meant to be used and was therefore tainted by the curse placed on the jewel,” Mendican offered.

The questions kept rolling in, but Chat Noir finally called on the last reporter.

“This isn’t a question for Hawk Moth, but for Ladybug and Chat Noir.” 

His blue eyes narrowed at that voice. On the other side of the mask, he had the displeasure of knowing the sleazeball behind it.

Chat scowled as well as his tail lashed from side to side in agitation. “Name and publication first please. And the next time you refer to him by that name, you will be ejected from any further press conferences we hold.” There was a strength to his son’s voice that he never heard before today and Mendican’s brow rose appraisingly.

“Apologies. Marcus Dubois, Akuma Watch Today,” drawled the man in a bored tone. “Why haven’t you turned this man over to the authorities to be tried for his crimes?”

Chat’s scowl deepened as he leaned against the podium. “It was explained, that like the akumatized victims, Mendican here was under the influence of magic and has no recollection of the last several years. Under the guidelines of Magical versus Mortal Law, again, like the victims of akumatization, he is not to be held accountable for the actions he committed while under that influence. Both Ladybug and I have spoken in great length about this before calling the press conference, as we knew you’d probably be here, Mr. DuBois. Your reputation on sullying the victims and their families precedes you, you realize.” His tone was harsh and stern as he addressed the reporter, verbally thrashing him with the truth. “Therefore, my partner and I came to the decision to show Paris what Mendican has to offer. However, we will be traveling to see the Grandmasters soon in an effort to keep this curse from affecting another holder of the Butterfly Miraculous ever again, and all three of us will be gone from Paris for an indefinite amount of time. Now that there is no more threat of akumas, the three of us will be more than willing to lend a hand to Paris’ finest should they need us, though we are in the midst of another project as well. That concludes our time however, and thank you for joining us today.”

* * *

Marinette shifted as she rang her bell, keenly aware of the two pairs of eyes on her, watching her every move. She took a deep, centering breath, willing her slight annoyance for the Agreste men’s curious scrutiny to wither so that she wasn’t distracted. With one last ring, Marinette picked up her potions, and eased each one down Emilie’s throat. The last was a poultice that needed to be rubbed into her skin and she beckoned Adrien and Gabriel over. 

“This step needs to be done by you two. It works best when loved ones are the ones applying it,” Marinette replied. She held the poultice out to them and smiled supportively. “If all goes well, it won’t be much longer. The corruption from the broken miraculous is completely gone thanks to your quick thinking of keeping Dusuu with Mrs. Agreste, Mr. Agreste. The potions I used will restore her vitality and remedy any atrophy she’s suffered the last few years. This poultice is the final step, a means to wake her muscles up if you will. It works through emotion—”

“Hence why you want us to apply it,” Adrien finished. He looked up at Gabriel hopefully and his father nodded. Within moments, the two got started.

Nooroo and Dusuu flew over to Marinette, smiling broadly. Dusuu seemed especially excitable today.

“Thank you for this, Mistress,” Nooroo cooed with a bow.

Marinette shook her head as she cupped her hands and the two kwami sat down. “I’ve told you before Nooroo, call me Marinette, please.” She looked back to the father-son duo, a fond smile on her face. “Have them call me if anything changes?”

“Of course! Where are you going, though?” asked Dusuu as he looked back to Adrien and Gabriel.

Marinette smiled as she stroked the kwami’s crest. “If Mrs. Agreste does wake up soon, it’s a moment that should only be for Adrien and his father. Besides, I need to sit down with my parents and explain a few things myself. It’s only fair to keep everyone in the loop.” She gave Dusuu a quick kiss as he giggled and both kwamis hugged the apples of her cheeks in turn. “I’ll see you soon I’m sure.”

* * *

Adrien was in the midst of applying the last of the poultice to his mother’s hands when he felt her grip around his fingers tighten. “Father!” he cried out in surprise. Adrien looked to his mother’s face, and happy tears flooded his eyes at seeing hers flutter before blinking up at him in confusion.

“Adrien?” Emilie Agreste whispered. She looked to her right, seeing her husband beside her with tears in his eyes as well. She looked back at Adrien, her green eyes widening at seeing how much older he was now. “Gabriel? How...How long have I been under?”

Adrien couldn’t answer as he wrapped his arms around her middle, burying his face in her lap as he sobbed happily. 

She was back! His mother was back with them again! This was nothing short of…

Well?

Miraculous!

Adrien sat up again, turning around to call out to Marinette but confusion washed over his face as Dusuu came spiralling in, screaming Emilie’s name in utter joyous glee. He stood up, looking everywhere for his girlfriend, but she wasn’t down here any longer. “Where’s Marinette?” he asked.

Nooroo flew up, lighting on Adrien’s shoulder as Gabriel helped Emilie from the device that kept her in suspended animation. “She returned home, Adrien. She said this was a moment for the three of you and that she didn’t want to intrude. That and she had to explain things to her parents as well,” explained the kwami with a soft smile. “She asked that you call her if anything changed.”

Adrien looked to his parents as they clung together tightly, both crying. More tears streaked down his cheeks as he joined them, sending up a silent prayer of thanks to whoever was listening that his girlfriend was such a considerate and compassionate soul. 

* * *

Her blue eyes blinked owlishly as the bag was ripped from her head. The first thing she realized was that she was cuffed to a chair and that save for the single light over her, the rest of the room was shrouded in black shadow. She willed her heart rate down, her face set into a scowl as she tried to peer into the surrounding darkness. The mania that gripped her this last month and a half of solitary confinement was nothing compared to the fear coursing through her veins.

“Eto piz`dets,” she swore in her native tongue. Inya tried to move her feet, only to find they were bound to the legs of her chair as well. She growled in annoyance before sitting back with a huff. She couldn’t see past the corona of the light she was in, and she didn’t want to admit she was unnerved.

“Fly little amok, and make me a helper,” came a whisper. 

Behind her?

Beside her?

Inya looked around in a panic as she tried to pinpoint the direction the voice came in. “Where are you?” she snarled. An ominous laughter filled the room and heels clicked against the floor. Just outside of the light, Inya could see a pair of glowing pink eyes. She couldn't help but bristle at the unnerving stare. "Who are you?"

"I'm surprised you don't recognize me,” cooed the voice. Hints of pale blue met her eyes, though shrouded in shadow. Pastel pinks and greens were the next to come into focus and Inya felt her heart rate jump.

“No...You were dying when you made off with the boy,” hissed the russian woman, her blue eyes blown wide.

“You’d like to think that, won’t you?” The other woman stepped fully into the light, her golden hair in an elegant twist and the rest of her long curls flowing over her shoulder. “Nonetheless, you have information I need, and I’m not leaving this room until I get it.”

Inya felt the color drain from her face as the peafowl dressed woman walked closer, a collar dangling between her hands. “No...Stay away, Paonne! Don’t come near me!” She struggled against her bonds as Paonne placed the collar around her neck and she wailed before magic settled over her.

The unnerving pink stare of the woman locked on to her newly glassed over blue one. 

“Now Inya, where are all the missing girls?” asked Paonne as she flicked her fan closed and slapped it against her palm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT'S COMPLETE!!!! I hope you guys like the twists and turns of this final chapter. Thank you so much for all the love and support you all have given me through the writing of this fiction, but more so, I truly need to thank the group at the Miraculous Fanworks Discord Server for being amazing sounding boards through the whole process. With this last chapter, I'm now officially on a posting hiatus. See you all soon!
> 
> Translations:  
>  _eto piz`dets- This is fucked up ( https://waytorussia.net/WhatIsRussia/Russian/SwearWords.html )_


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